Freedom of Heart
by Bereft
Summary: A story of lives risked, mistakes made, hearts that run astray, and a love that should not be. LegolasOFC, constructive criticism welcomed. Discontinued.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- This is going for the entire story, it's quite irritating to have to do every chapter. I do not own Lord of the Rings, only characters that you don't recognize because I have created them.

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Alaqua sat in the corner of a stone room, the damp, cold air chilling her to the very bone. She was curled in fetal position, her head resting upon her grime covered knees. Oh, yes,

she was filthy, disgusting even. Dirt had founds its way into her hair, under her finger nails, and every other part of her body that had once been clean. Blood had crusted upon her skin from past beatings; her eye was swollen and tinged gray-green from one of Solanth's more powerful blows.

Her lip curled up in a sneer at the thought of his name, a flame of anger ignited within her. Just the thought of his greasy brown hair and deceiving blue eyes was enough to make her skin crawl.

Suddenly the door slammed shut. At first Alaqua was grateful for the intervention of her thoughts, but the emotion quickly faded away upon sight of the visitor. Gwenyth strutted sassily into the room, as does an arrogant princess when walking down the inferior streets in which her people live, a large smirk upon her tanned face. Alaqua's eyes narrowed in pure loathing. Gwenyth was one of the few that actually enjoyed this so called 'life'. Her voluptuous figure, doe eyes, and blond hair earned her many customers, to her pleasure no doubt. A few had even offered to keep her permanently, but that would be against the rules.

Rules? Alaqua scoffed at this; it was as if Solanth was attempting to civilize this _prostitution_. The very word sent a shock of hate and distaste throughout her body, and she recited the rules that Solanth had made her repeat many times, fueling her anger.

_1) Do not take the same customer more than once._

_2) Do not stay with a current customer for more than one night._

_3) Never take a customer without Solanth's permission first_

_4) Never attempt to run away_

_5) Never develop feelings for a customer. _

She had already broken the fourth rule, for which she had earned twenty lashes, and had the scars for proof. Her hands clenched at the memory of the sickening crack as the hard leather whip sliced her back, the mind numbing pain as her barrier of skin broke, and dark blood began to pour from her wounds. She had desperately attempted to lift herself from the ground with her trembling limbs as the blood began to pool around her, staining her arms and soaking her clothes, but instead passed into a state of unconsciousness.

Wincing as her fingernails sank deeply into her palm, she glanced around the room to distract herself from the memory, and she wrinkled her nose at its lack of cleanliness. Ten barely cushioned mats lay on floor, most encrusted with dirt; they were used for beds, though they offered little comfort from the hard ground beneath them. And, there were seventeen girls, not ten. A rat scurried across the floor, unnoticed by the other girls, who had grown used to them, and crawled into their pile of blankets. Her stomach churned in disgust, and she quickly glanced away, resuming her observations. There were four candlesticks scattered across the room; nearly useless when the sun went down, so small was the light they gave. There were no tables, not one chair, no bathtub. The only thing they owned were the clothes upon their backs, black and brown dresses, given to them by Solanth. They were far too short for her liking; a uniform of sorts.

Not for the first time she cursed her bad fortune. Cursed herself for staying in her cottage, faking illness, when she was supposed to be helping her parents pick berries while they were still ripe. Cursed her laziness, cursed the heat that she despised so much, the heat that was the reason she stayed inside in the first place.

She also cursed these girls and their lack of courage. Their indifference towards her, simply because she was too rebellious for their tastes, her tongue too sharp. Cursed their stupidity, the stupidity that caused them to think they would be beaten for associating with her.

Yet, most of all, she continued to curse herself. But she mustn't dwell upon it, she knew.

If she allowed her thoughts to linger upon the happy memories of her childhood, her eyes would fill with tears, and not long after she would begin to sob with no restraint. She could not allow that. She had to be strong, _she would be strong_.

The door was shoved open and all thoughts of strength dissipated at the sight of Solanth.

His figure towered over the girls as he stalked forward, looming over each individual, studying their faces.

She flattened herself against the wall, willing herself to become invisible. His eyes raked over the room, and his threatening gaze fell upon her, twisted amusement obvious within their depths.

"You, with the brown hair, come here."

Gritting her teeth; she remained unmoving, glaring up at defiantly. His cold eyes bore into her hazel pair, and a battle of wills ensued. His eyes narrowed into slits, his fury growing with each passing moment. His lips thinned into a line and his face began to redden. She was still.

He growled in rage, and closed the distance between them. Her body trembled with each step he took, and finally he stood before her. Reaching down, he grabbed her arms in a vice grip, pulling her underfed body against his.

She quivered in repulsion, and he gripped her chin tightly, shoving his mouth roughly against her own. She twisted in his grasp as a lone hand began to wander across her body, the other keeping her trapped against him. She pulled away as much as she could, desperately attempting to distance herself from him in vain. Finally her foot came in contact with his shin, and he instantly released her, smacking her smartly across the face.

"Do not _ever_ kick me," he hissed, his face inches from hers and his voice low and sinister, his putrid breath coming in short gasps. He took a deep breath and straightened himself, resuming a mask of calmness, though she could tell from the rigidness of his body that he was still inertly raging.

Fixing her with his intense glare he spoke menacingly.

"You will be one of the three I bring with me, to a new pub. You _will_ be bought and you _will_ go with your buyer."

Nodding at the girls that had crowded around them, he moved stealthily out of the room.

Alaqua took a shuddering breath, and brought her hand to her lips, gazing venomously at the blood that now stained her fingers. The other females remained silent only a moment longer before breaking into a bout of whispers, moving away to discuss the strange girl who remained huddled in the corner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they were much appreciated. **

The wagon jostled her body uncomfortably and the hay she sat upon poked and scratched her skin, itching terribly. The heat of the sun and the humidity of the air had combined forces, it seemed, making the air so thick and warm that it was as if she was suffocating. Her skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, mixing with the dirt and sliding down her body in murky droplets. She pushed back the ringlets of hair that had begun to stick out unattractively, not that it would help her appearance at all.

Attempting to distract herself from thoughts of the unpleasant weather, she glanced up at the other girls. Their mouths were clamped shut and they sat in complete silence, their eyes shifting nervously from tree to tree as they slowly passed by. They, also, were growing uneasy with each step the horses took, drawing them closer to their unfortunate destination.

Yes, they were more experienced than Alaqua, but still dreaded the moment when a man led them to a bed, when he would begin to undress them and his eyes would shine with undisguised lust. She pursed her lips in repulsion, not following the thought any further, and closed her eyes tightly.

Taking in a shuddering breath, she allowed sleep to pull her under it's merciful current, swiftly carrying her away from the butterflies that fluttered within her abdomen.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

She was within the bar, the heavy stench of alcohol obvious in the air. The two girls followed Solanth as he led them through the thick crowd and Alaqua considered sneaking out the front door, but quickly changed her mind at a glance of the men leering openly behind her.

Bodies pushed roughly against her own as she fought her way through the mass of males, gritting her teeth as she was shoved aside for the fifth time before continuing on. She ducked under the multitude of elbows that flew carelessly at her head, and dodged the swinging arms that seemed so intent upon smacking her across the face.

Eventually she made it to a less popular side of the building and scanned the multiple tables for Solanth, but he was nowhere to be seen. She grinned, he could've fallen off the edge of a cliff for all she cared, as long as she was free from him.

Grasping a nearby chair, she pulled it up to the table, wincing at the damp wood that she could plainly feel through her dress. She put her elbows upon the table, leaning her head upon her hands as her eyes wandered over various individuals, though most clumped together in the center, where the alcohol was being handed out freely. The clinking of glasses and loud jeers of men were the main noises in the smoke filled air, with the exception of a few feminine giggles, to which she rolled her eyes to.

Snorting in an unladylike manner as the two men she had currently been studying decided they simply _had _to see who could burp the loudest, her eyes made their way to three slender figures sitting at a far away table, each with hoods drawn over their faces, making it impossible to see their faces. Though she couldn't see their lips moving, or hear them over the chorus of rambunctious humans, she somehow sensed they were speaking, and found herself wondering what they said.

Why weren't they chuckling heartily over their own jokes, and half way drunk, just as every other person within the nearest mile was? Her curiosity was quickly fueled as the man in the center glanced up to meet her gaze with deep blue orbs that made her gasp at their likeness to Solanth's. So similar in color, yet so different in character, they radiated an inner warmth that made even her wish to smile.

Realizing the rudeness of her behavior, she instantly averted her eyes, scolding herself repeatedly but her thoughts went quiet as she found herself looking at the figure once more. His eyes enchanted her own, making it impossible for even the _idea_ of looking away to cross her mind. Before she was completely under the stranger's spell her chin was jerked violently to the side as another pair of blue eyes bore into hers, but these were different. These didn't shine with amusement, but were cold with loathing. Her hazel eyes narrowed to slits as she glared at him with a hatred that matched his own.

His mouth opened as he prepared to speak, making his crooked and rotting lower teeth visible. She wretched her face from his grasp, not wishing to so near to him. A vein began to throb upon his forehead at her movement and he raised his fist to punish her, but a hand grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm in an awkward angle behind his back.

Solanth let out a grunt of pain, fidgeting as he attempted to pull out of the man's grasp, but the arm was released just as easily as it had been captured.

Solanth staggered away before whipping around with his hand drawn back in a defensive position, but her rescuer refused to engage in the scuffle that Solanth seemed to want. Instead he crossed his arms, putting all his weight upon one leg, mocking her 'master' with the relaxed position.

Alaqua's eyes wandered over the man's figure, disappointed when she couldn't see his face, as a bothersome hood shielded his face from viewers.

Only two words were understandable as her thoughts became a jumbled mass of incoherent phrases.

'_Oh, damn'_

Her heart thudded loudly as her eyes darted back to where the man had sat, but the table was deserted, leaving only vacant chairs.

Her attention focused on the fuming male before her, and she bit her lip against a gasp when the hooded man spoke, his voice reminding her faintly of a dove as it flew gracefully over mountaintops.

"What is happening here?"

Solanth had calmed down considerably in the last thirty seconds, and spoke in broken Westron as all the people from his birthplace did, recognizing a potential buyer when he saw one.

"'Ello, sir. Would ye like to rent out this lovely lady for a night?" Solanth's words grated upon her ears as she cringed unconsciously. A sense of unreasonable shame came over her as she felt a set of eyes upon her, and she simply observed the table, too humiliated to look up.

"You're selling this woman? Selling her body?" The shame that pressed so heavily on her heart and mind eased slightly at the outrage evident in the man's voice.

"Yes, sir. Would ye' like to rent her?"

There was a pause.

"How much?"

Alaqua lost her resolve to keep her focus upon the table as a flame of fury was kindled in her once more, she was so mixed with emotions she wasn't sure if she wanted to scream with rage or cry in disappointment. She had thought this person was a good man who wouldn't sink so low as to buy women from a bar for sexual favors. She had thought wrong, but didn't she always?

She fought off her emotions fruitlessly, struggling to remain indifferent as Solanth greedily counted the coins that had been handed to him. As he stuffed the silver into his grubby pocket, he grinned with sick pleasure, before informing the man where to drop her off when he was done with her.

Her eyes watered at the thought of being dumped off at some random landmark, as if she were a package being delivered.

She clenched her fists together, not caring any longer if tears streamed down her face, and the hot droplets swiftly flowed from her eyes, no longer restrained.

She stood so forcefully that the chair she had sat on was knocked over, and her voice was a deadly whisper that was so filled with malice, it even surprised her.

"I refuse"

Solanth reached out to grab her arm but she snatched it away, dodging the tables and chairs as she backed away, careful not to step on the broken shards of glass. Solanth's eyes widened and his nose flared, his temper flaring once more.

"You _wretched_ little wench!" He picked up the chair before him, throwing the offending object to the side before continuing his pursuit of her, but she was grabbed from behind, and she muffled a shriek with her palm.

"I will tame her, do not worry," a melodic voice sounded behind her, and soon she was being led toward the front door as she dragged her feet and grabbed at various objects in an attempt to stay behind. Despite her unwillingness to follow, she was now outside, still being pulled unceremoniously to the three snow-white horses that stood before her.

Strong fingers wrapped around her waist, and before she registered it, she was upon the horse. Soon the stranger swung up behind her, wrapping his arms around her in order to hold the reins.

She fought against the encircling arms, using her elbows to slam against the body behind her, and smacking at his hands, choosing not to notice how his muscles rippled against her as he restrained her. She had come to her last resort. Opening her mouth she let out a piercing scream that was swiftly cut off as a hand clapped over her mouth, which she bit.

The man pulled her back so that his face was next to her.

"If you do not silence yourself I will be forced to gag you," he spoke in a harsh tone, and when her body went ridged he realized his mistake.

"I am not going to bed you, worry not," he whispered, his voice soft as velvet once more.

His words gave her a strange comfort, though there was no proof that he was not lying. Perhaps it was simply his voice. Yes, that must be it, his voice was so smooth, silky; like honey. She was becoming disoriented as sleep overcame her, not realizing she had settled back against the man, using him for a pillow until she was already falling off the edge of consciousness.

- - - - - -

The fire crackled, feasting on the oxygen greedily to sustain itself as Alaqua's eyes focused upon it's twisting, squirming flames. She sat upon a log, damp from the rains of the previous day. The sun had already come and gone, and the night stars shone over her, though they were blocked out by the trees, twinkling as if it contained a secret within it's bright depths.

She squirmed uncomfortably as her inner thighs and bottom continued their throbbing, an after effect of at least five hours of horseback riding, not that she was conscious during any of it. Nay, she had groggily awoken as she was being lifted off the horse but could remember nothing else after that, so she supposed she had simply fallen asleep once more.

She didn't know where three strangers were, but they had left her alone. Cunning creatures they were, knowing she would not run away, for if she did she would be utterly lost. Glancing up at the willowy trees that were consumed in shadow, she knew she would not attempt to leave, the thought of getting lost in a forest as dark as this was not a pleasant one.

Sighing as the pain in her lower body began to increase, she scuttled over to her sleeping roll and blanket were, curling into the warmth the cloth offered, her eyes fluttering closed as exhaustion overwhelmed her.

"Legolas!" a voice whispered, and her eyes snapped open. They were back. Remaining immobile, she began to listen to their words, but the conversation was over before it even started, leaving her wondering if she had just imagined the whole thing.

Slowly turning her head to the right, towards the center of the camp, the three figures stood before her, though she was pleased to see they wore no hoods. Blond. All three of them had pure blond hair, not a single trace of brown, red, or black to be seen. Their skin was pale, but they did not look sickly, rather it seemed they radiated life. All three were stunningly beautiful, there was no rugged maleness about them, they were simply _gorgeous. _

Her eyes wandered over their features for a long while, their ocean blue eyes, gracefully curved jaw lines, pointed ears, bl-- Wait. _Pointed ears?_ Her gaze shifted quickly to where a _rounded_ ear should be, only to find a pointed tip. Her eyes widened considerably and her heart thundered against her chest.

_Elves!_ They were elves! That is why they were so fair, so graceful, so flawless. Suddenly a feeling if inadequacy came over her, a feeling of ugliness, and she felt inferior to these people. Why had they even bothered to take her from the bar? Why, when she was so beneath them? She had even _bit_ one of them! She took in a quick breath, horrified. She had bit an elf!

Fighting against a groan, she squeezed her eyes shut once more, begging for sleep to come and take her troubles away.

- - - - - - -

"You must awaken," Legolas reached down and gripped her scrawny arm, mentally noting to give her an extra portion of food when they next ate, and shook her gently.

She gasped, swiftly pulling herself into a sitting position, glancing around widely as if expecting an attack. As she realized she was safe, her focus turned to Legolas, and he grinned under her scrutiny.

"You"

Legolas chuckled, his eyes glimmering with amusement.

"You may call me Legolas, if you wish" he replied, his mouth still curled up in a smile.

She nodded before glancing down and fixating her eyes upon his feet, not speaking a word. Legolas stood there a moment longer, waiting for her to give him her own name, but she remained silent.

"May I inquire as to what your name is?"

She jumped as if surprised he still remained near her and glanced up at him nervously, her eyes not lingering upon his face for more than a second.

"Why would you wish to know my name, sir? Why not simply call me slave? For that is all I am to you," Legolas' brows furrowed in bewilderment at this statement.

"You are a slave to no one, least of all myself,"

"Oh?" Alaqua's temper reared it's ugly head yet again, " Did you not just drag me onto your horse? Force me to accompany you to who-knows-where? If I am not your slave, then what exactly am I, _Legolas_?"

Her every word dripped with sarcasm, causing him to draw back slightly. He had never heard his name spoken in such away, with so much dislike. He could tell already this would not be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

**I did another edit on chapter two and the old chapter three, and combined them. I think the old chapter three was too short to be a chapter. **

**Anyways, TEN reviews for this chapter, pwease? I'd also appreciate something other than 'Cool. Update soon!' Cause even though those are nice, it's the longer, more in-depth reviews that motivate me. You can tell me to update all you want, but I ain't saying it'll work. Who knows, maybe if I get bunches of reviews I'll update with LONGER chapters -O **

**Anyways, if anyone wants to be my beta Email me (I'm going to try to put my email in, hopefully it will work this time) OxKayPoxO at netscape dot net**

**Love, **

**Me**


	3. Chapter 3

I don't like this chapter much, I wrote it during writer's block, so I'm sorry if it's not what you were expecting.

Just letting everyone know, I do plan on reediting this if I finish it. And that is an IF, I've had a history with not finishing my stories, but I'm hoping that won't happen with this one.

Thanks for all the awesome and longgg reviews! lol

'Idiot. Stupid moron, let's just yell at the elf, shall we?'

Alaqua smacked her head for the second time with the palm of her hand, ignoring the stinging sensation that accompanied it as the others gave her odd looks, but continued to prepare themselves for the day's journey.

'Oh! Good job, Alaqua! Not only do they think you're rude, now they believe you're INSANE! Stupid, stupid gi-'

She was interrupted as a pale hand was placed upon her shoulder, causing her to flinch and jerk away in surprise. Rotating swiftly around her eyes set upon Legolas, one of his golden eyebrows arched in something between amusement and question. She glared brashly at him, mentally daring him to show a sign of humor, until his cerulean eyes met her own and she felt her nerve fade and crumble. She stared at a nearby tree in defeat, feeling the unwanted sensation of lacking, deficiency; she awaited the moment she would be out of his company anxiously.

"We will ride in a few moments," he paused hesitantly, glancing up at her before continuing," if you tell us where your home is, we will escort you there safely,"

Her eyes shifted back to his face, studying it carefully as if judging his words before the joy she had been smothering since he spoke bubbled over, and a large grin broke out upon her once nonchalant face. Her eyes danced wildly with joy, no longer impassive, but warm at the thought of seeing her parents once more. She would pick berries with her mother, and fish with her father; the things she had once abhorred almost religiously, were now the things that she longed for above all else. She would labor from sunrise to sunset, as long as she was accompanied by her family.

Noticing Legolas was still standing before her, awaiting her response, she quickly answered him.

"Esgarath, upon the Long Lake,"

Legolas nodded, showing his recognition.

"If We leave now, and ride for the majority of the day, we should arrive there within two days. Are you ready?"

Alaqua bobbed her head in the affirmative, eager to leave at the prospect of home. She didn't look forward to riding, but she would do it without complaint; as she was taught.

Legolas began to move away, but she stopped him as she uttered his name. He froze, as if his keen ears had decieved him, but pivoted slowly around. Her heart thundered in her chest so loudly that she was positive Legolas could hear it, but he showed no sign of it.

"Thank you," her voice was faint, but detectable, and he grinned at her. His normally handsome features were made even more so by his smile, and Alaqua's breath caught in her throat at the exquisite beauty she beheld. Her eyes feasted on his handsome features, wandering over his face by their own accord; his golden hair, reminding her of the sun as it peaked through the treetops and it nearly blinded you with its glory, his fair skin that she knew would feel smooth as silk under her finger tips, but the moment her eyes landed upon his ears she was brought forcefully back to the present, and withdrew into herself once more.

His sapphire eyes were upon her, she knew and hated it. If it were any other man, she would've glared back at him defiantly, but Alaqua knew well that Legolas was no man.

"Come, I believe introductions are in order. I would have earlier, but it seemed you could not stay awake for long," He shot her a grin to show the humor and his statement, and she returned it hesitantly.

They approached the other two elves, who were conversing animatedly in another tongue, one throwing his hands in the air and shaking them spasmodically as the other keeled over with laughter. Legolas interrupted them when he spoke, and the two glanced over at her before they nodded simultaneously.

"Hello, lady," the elf who had been shaking his hands approached, his eyes twinkling merrily, "My name is Alasseo," he bowed, taking her hand in his own and placing a gentle kiss upon it. She gave him a shaky smile, not used to such treatment.

"Might I add," he wiggled his eyebrows flirtatiously, "that you have lovely eyes, quite the perfect mixture of green and brown-" the other elf clapped him upon the back, disrupting his sentence.

"Now, Alasseo, do not scare the girl away! She has just met you, and already you attempt to seduce her,"

"Me? Seduce? Never!"

Alaqua found her lips curling up in amusement as the two continued to bicker, reminding her of the younger children at the village that argued almost daily.

Finally, the laughing elf turned to her, breathing a sigh of frustration.

"Forgive him, Lady, for he knows not what he does," Alasseo opened his mouth in defense, but was cut off once more.

"I am Vanimon." he too set a kiss upon her hand, before sending her a friendly smile and stepping back.

"Well," Alasseo began, "now that the fair maiden knows who we are, will she honor us with the knowledge of her name?"

Alaqua's face heated at such blatant flattery, and she found her mouth opening and closing repeatedly in a fish-like manner, immediately clamping it shut.

'_Speak, fool! Tell them your name! Alaqua! Al-uh-kwa!_'

The three elves stared at her, each set of blue eyes shining with amusement as their mouths quivered with repressed grins. Her face heated with embarrassment and moisture collected along her hairline. Why was she so damn nervous?

"Come, now!" Alasseo teased, "Surely you haven't forgotten!"

Alasseo attempted to humor her, but it backfired miserably. Alaqua's 'beautiful eyes' narrowed slightly, anger simmering within her abdomen. She clenched her hands, taking a deep breath before answering.

"Alaqua. My name is Alaqua," Legolas smiled at her, but Alaqua did not return it, and stared at the grass as it rippled with the wind.

'_He thinks me so idiotic as to have forgotten my own name?'_

She gritted her teeth in annoyance, but as much as she wished to lash out, to insult him thoroughly, her mouth refused to open. She feared what they would do, how they would react. Though they seemed nice enough, she had heard stories of girls who captured by elves and never heard from again. If she offended one of them, would Legolas go back on his word and leave her here in the forest? Or would he just beat her, as Solanth had? She had not the courage to find out, and that is what she hated.

At least Solanth had been predictable; if she talked back to him, she was hit. She could handle that, she knew what he had been about to do, and that knowledge had made it easier to deal with. But the elves, they were unpredictable, and it frightened her.

"Alasseo meant no offense," Alaqua's lips parted in a gasp, her hair swinging into her face as she jerked to the direction of the voice; it was Vanimon, the other two had left to join the horses. She gave a curt nod to show she understood, but her body remained rigid and tense.

"We can leave now, if you wish,"

She answered in the affirmative, and he led her to the horses. The ground crunched under her feet as she walked, the usually unnoticeable noise deafening in comparison to Vanimon's stealthy stride.

She stood idly as Vanimon left her to mount his horse, not knowing what to do. Alasseo was already upon his steed, and grinned down at her.

"Come, Alaqua" she had not heard Legolas approach, and started as he whispered in her ear,

Then he was gone, standing beside his own horse before she even registered his movement, gesturing for her to come closer. She sighed heavily before moving to stand next to him; damn elves.

"This is Arod," he said, referring to the horse who was leisurely chomping on the lush grass that grew before him. Now that Alaqua had the chance to study the stallion she realized he wasn't white, but light gray, dappled with shadows of a darker shade. Legolas was once more gazing at her with that expectant look in his eye, and Alaqua shifted uneasily upon her feet, not certain what he wished for her to do.

"Um, hello, Arod," The horse neighed his greeting, and Legolas patted his bare back lovingly before asking Alaqua if she was ready to depart.

She glanced up at Arod's very empty back, and at Legolas. He saw the question in her eyes, and, though he understood what she had been wordlessly asking, waited patiently for her to speak. He knew she must grow comfortable in his presence, and she could not do that if she refused to talk.

"W-we--are we riding without a saddle?"

"Yes," then he lifted her upon the horse before accompanying her, the start of another day's journey. Damn elves.

Some of you have been asking how I got Alaqua's name, so I shall tell you. There is a neighborhood where I live called Alaqua so I'm like 'Hey, that'd be a cool name," and there ya go.

Sooo, ten more reviews for this one? Of course. :-D **Just a warning, you probably won't be able to review this chapter if you reviewed the old chapter three, so I'd totally LOVE you if you logged out and reviewed :-)**

Thanks to my awesome beta Aganippe!

Also, thanks so WhiteRosesForMe for the helpful reviews, which are always making me think 'Damn, I'm an idiot' so I have to go back and change things, ha ha.

OH! Everyone has to tell me if they like my new summary better than the old one, if not I'll just change it to the other one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ha ha, I love the reviews you guys give me, they're awesome :-D**

'_People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;_

_Love them anyway._

_If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;_

_Do good anyway._

_If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies;_

_Succeed anyway._

_The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow;_

_Do good anyway._

_Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable;_

_Be honest and frank anyway._

_The biggest person with the biggest mind can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind;_

_Think big anyway._

_What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight;_

_Keep building anyway._

_The people who need help may attack if you help them;_

_Help people anyway._

_Give the world the best you have, and you might be shoved aside;_

_Give the world your best anyway.'_

The scenery beside her faded to a green blur as the pace of the horses quickened, and within seconds she had to close her eyes as water began to stream from their outer edges. The soft thump of hooves meeting dirt and the heavy breathing of the animals were the only noises other than the occasional chirpings of birds.

Legolas' arm was wrapped firmly around her waist; and though at first she had been immensely uncomfortable by such an intimate act, she soon relaxed in his grip and was now grateful for the support, knowing she would've fallen off without it. She was still careful, though, not to lean too heavily upon him or to touch him more than necessary.

Eyes still closed, she took in a deep breath and the crisp, pure smell of the forest greeted her. Every part of this place seemed to radiate life, even the way the leaves shook as the wind that blew softly through the trees' branches seemed magical. The soil seemed richer, the sky bluer, the plants greener, and the creatures healthier. Perhaps it was because the land was inhabited by elves? Or maybe because she was simply in the company of elves?

Alaqua opened her eyes in frustration; this forest was no more alive than any other she had been in, and no elf could change that. She resolved not to think such foolish things any longer, and shut her eyes once more to shield them from the wind.

- - - -

An hour later they continued at their swift pace, and Alaqua's inner thighs and bottom began to ache considerably, each stride the horse took sending a cruel jolt of pain through her lower body.

She attempted to unnoticeably shift herself into a less painful position, but it was useless, she just couldn't find a painless way to sit without drawing attention to herself. She clenched her teeth against a groan as her pain continued to increase, knowing her legs were being rubbed raw as tears began to moisten her eyes.

Glancing down at her thighs, she saw they had begun to bleed and were now marring Arod's beautiful fur.

"Stop," she whispered brokenly, "please, stop,"

She felt Legolas move against her as he signaled with his legs for Arod to stop.

"Are you alright?" Though she couldn't see his face, she could tell from his voice that he was concerned.

"My legs," her voice shook as she fought back tears, and refused to say more, knowing she would start sobbing if she continued to speak.

When she heard his intake of breath, she knew he must have seen the blood. She bit her lip, hoping he wouldn't yell at her for tainting the horse's once clean coat, but he remained silent, leaping gracefully off before lifting her into his arms.

Walking briskly to the nearest tree, Legolas set her down so she could rest against the bark. Vanimon approached and handed him a bag he had been carrying upon his back; digging through it momentarily, Legolas drew out a small container, a bundle of bandages, a cloth, and what she assumed to be a pouch of water.

Crouching before her he poured some water on the cloth, allowing it to become damp before his eyes moved to her face.

"I will need to move your dress to see where it bleeds,"

Alaqua said nothing for a moment, not comprehending, but when she did a cold sweat came over her, her insides churning with discomfort and fright. She shook her head furiously from side to side.

"Your wounds could get infected, you _must_ allow me to clean them,"

He could not simply expect her to pull her dress up and spread her legs, flaunting her body as if she were a whore. She refused to allow him to look there, let alone touch her there! It mattered little that she had the underwear Solanth had made her wear, which was barely anything.

Opening her mouth to deny him once more, the words stuck in her throat as he placed his hand upon her right cheek tenderly, his sapphire eyes meeting her own in an intense gaze that caused her heart to stop its beating.

"I will not harm you, trust me,"

With those words, she found herself nodding her consent.

Taking his hand from her face, he kept eye contact with her, and for some reason she couldn't find it within herself to glance away. He grasped the outer edges of her dress, eyes still boring into hers, and slowly slid it back to her hips. Almost immediately she shivered, the wind blowing over her once covered legs. His skin contacted hers as he placed his hands upon her knees, and she quivered once more, though this time it wasn't because of the wind.

Still, hazel eyes met cobalt, their connection unwavering. He pushed her legs apart inch by inch, gauging her reaction until they were separated enough that he could clean the wound. He smiled softly at her before severing their bond and focusing upon the task before him.

Taking the cloth, he dabbed gently at the chafed and red skin, rubbing the blood away. She had expected the process to be painful, but felt barely anything as he continued to clean her injury, taking care not to press any harder than needed.

"Next time you are in pain, you must inform me sooner," he sounded as if he were scolding a child.

She nodded, for some reason hurt at his tone of voice, and a familiar sting behind her eyes made its presence known. She blinked the tears back violently, and turned her head away to watch two small birds peck at the ground.

Minutes passed, and finally Legolas announced he was finished. He stood and offered his hand, which she hesitantly took, and pulled her up. Glancing down, she saw there were now bandages wrapped securely around her thighs.

Legolas was gone, she realized as she shifted her eyes upward, sifting through another one of their packs. She studied him as he drew out a pair of pants, his face emotionless, but surveyed the ground as he approached.

"Wear these," he handed her the pants, "it will keep your legs from coming to further injury,"

She took the offered clothing, and, after waiting for Legolas to depart and glancing around to make sure no one was watching her, she stepped into the garment, pulling it up as quickly as she could while keeping the cloth from catching on the bandages.

Sitting once more, she lifted her face up to the rays of sunlight, enjoying the heat that warmed her face. Placing her arms behind her to support her weight, she leaned back, absorbing as much of the warmth as she could. Her eyes fluttered closed, and within a few moments she found her self enraptured by memories, as of she were reliving them.

_She groaned and grasped her stomach as if it pained her while curling into a fetal position. _

_"I don't feel well, Momma, I don't think I can work today," _

_Her mother leaned over her, concern etched upon wrinkled features she could barely see as her blond hair hung about her face. _

_She didn't look much like her Momma, with her blue eyes and yellow hair; but rather her Papa. Their plain brown hair and hazel eyes were almost identical. She didn't even inherit her Momma's once beautiful and delicate looks, but those of her father's, more strong and firm. Her face didn't round gently, but had more angles to it. Her lashes didn't beautifully enhance the shape of her eyes, but instead were shorter than her mother's, and barely noticeable. Though her Momma told her she was pretty, Alaqua knew she would never live up to the expectations of the Townsfolk, who assumed she would become a dashing beauty. _

_She was drawn away from her thoughts as a cool hand touched her brow. _

_"You don't have a fever, but perhaps I should stay here, if you feel that bad," _

_"No! No, I will be fine. The moment I feel better I will come help you and Papa, I promise," _

_Though her mother still looked worried, she nodded and kissed her upon the forehead before exiting the _

_room. _

_Alaqua smiled her success and buried her head under the blankets, going to sleep once more._

_- - - - _

_She awakened to the sound of a large thud, and moved into a sitting position with a gasp. _

_"Momma?" _

_There was no answer. _

_"Momma, Papa, is that you?" She called a little louder this time, but the only response was the heavy footfalls that came closer and closer to her room as she cowered in her sheets when the steps halted--in front of her door._

"We will rest for half an hour longer, and then we must depart,"

Alaqua gasped at the sudden voice, her eyes snapping open to find two azure orbs gazing back at her.

"Pardon?"

Legolas arched an eyebrow, a gesture that was beginning to irritate her.

"We will rest for half an hour longer, and then we must depart," he repeated.

Alaqua nodded to show her understanding, but said nothing more, the remembrance of the day she had been captured still looming heavily over her mind.

**WordSmyth . Net is my savior :-D**

**Much love to the best beta and information-giver in the world, Aganippe!**

**I know you guys want me to have longer chapters, but I stop whenever I feel the chapter should end, and most of the time there isn't going to be 10 pages of writing in my chapters. Terribly sorry. One of these days I promise I will give you a 10 page chapter, instead of a 4-5 page one :-D**

**Anyways, I'm not too sure about the part where Legolas cleans Alaqua's wounds; for some reason I think it seems to much like a sex scene, lol. I don't know, tell me what you think in a review!**

**Thanks again to all my wonderful reviewers, who never fail to make me laugh with a few of their comments. **

**Anyways, 10 more reviews, as always!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Howdy ya'll. Sorry about the wait, I've been rather busy. **

**Anyways, this chapter might be a bit rocky, cause I wasn't quite sure how to get it going. Hopefully it isn't too bad.**

**Thanks for the reviews! They were wonderful :-D**

**And I know this is SUPER short, but this is the best I can do right now. I felt bad about not updating, so I figured I had to give you _something._**

**And thanks to my beta, Aganippe!**

Though the sun was blotted out by trees, the air was filled with a warmth that comforted her from the memory that plagued her mind. She was reclined back on her arms, and had been since Legolas left her to join the other elves, not allowing herself to remember anything more of that day. Shifting her weight on her hands, she turned to see the three sitting together under a large tree, conversing merrily. At that moment Vanimon happened to glance her way, waving her over to join them, and Alasseo took his distraction as an opportunity to thwack Vanimon on the back of his head.

Alaqua's lips curled into a smile. Though she hadn't been around them long, she could already see the difference in Alasseo's and Vanimon's personalities. While Alasseo was talkative and playful, Vanimon was more serious and thoughtful. They were an odd pair, completely opposite of each other, yet it was not difficult to see they were good friends. Looking upon Legolas, she furrowed her eyebrows; that elf remained a mystery to her. One moment he was playful, the next solemn; one moment arrogant, and the next kind. She chose to exclude the fact that she had been studying him over the course of the last day, which is how she drew these conclusions, from her thoughts.

After a momentary hesitation she pushed herself away from her thoughts and to her feet, walking slowly to the group, as their conversation floated up to meet her ears as she grew close, though she could not understand their fluid language.

Legolas gazed up at her as she drew closer, and moved to the side to make room next to him, where she sat. Her stomach churned with discomfort as he continued to peer at her, and it was all she could do to keep from squirming.

"I hope you are no longer in pain, Alaqua,"

"No," she answered, surprised. Partly because she had yet to grow used to his voice, and partly because he seemed concerned; another contrast in his character. A mere hour ago he had been scolding her like a child, and was now acting as though she was a delicate flower.

After a short pause, she added "Thank you,"

A gentle smile was her only response, and she almost found herself wishing her had said something, just so she could hear him speak. Almost.

"Tell us about your home, Alaqua, I have always found the lives of humans rather fascinating," It was Alasseo talking now, and though she considered giving him a short, vague answer, the excited twinkle in his eyes was something that she couldn't deny.

"Well.." she started off, wracking her mind for any tidbits of information that could interest him, but of course there wasn't. What could possibly interest an elf? Didn't they know everything there was to know about humans, having lived multiple lifetimes? Regarding the eager grin that remained plastered on Alasseo's face, she sighed. Oh well.

"Each morning, around sunrise, everyone in the village wakes. The children do their chores, and then bring water to the women while they work in the gardens--"

"What do you grow in the gardens?" Alasseo asked, interrupting her train of thought so that it took her a moment to reply.

"Many things; tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, among them,"

Alaqua paused to make sure he had no more questions, and he nodded impatiently, gesturing for her to continue.

"Most of the men go to the lake and catch fish, and once they've got enough they pile them into baskets, and take them to the women, who clean and cook them while the children feed the animals--"

"What creatures do you own there?"

Alaqua gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"Horses, pigs, chic-"

"Ah, how interesting. Tell me, do you eat them?"

Her hands fisted at her sides, and she considered simply not answering him when Legolas cut in, perhaps sensing her irritation, and she was grateful.

"I believe it is about time we leave, Alasseo, save your questions for another time,"

Alaqua felt a wave of dismay wash over her as she thought of riding a horse again. Well, not _that_ grateful.

Though he gave Legolas a menacing glare, Alasseo stood with the graceful movements of his kind, as did Vanimon (who also helped Alaqua to her feet) and together the four made their way to the horses. It was only until a while later that Alaqua realized remembrance of her capture had been the last thing on her mind.

**I'm definitely not satisfied with this chapter, I feel like there is something missing, but I just can't figure out what. Anybody else know? Tell me in a review.**

**Anyways, I'm still thinking of a new summary, so any ideas for one will be appreciated!**

**I'm also fairly sure that Esgarath is actually built on the lake (if I'm wrong let me know) but I've changed that for my own reasons. Hate me if you want. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews! They were great :-D**

_"Quiet, girl!" a harsh kick was delivered to her side, silencing her screams momentarily as she was shoved atop what she assumed to be a horse. They had blindfolded her mere seconds after forcing her from her home, and she could see nothing. Having to rely on her other senses was difficult, and in her panicked state she had heard any information as to where she was going; only echoes of her cries for help. _

_Calloused hands grabbed hers roughly, and she felt a coarse rope wrapping around her wrists tightly, attaching them to what felt like the horn of a saddle. She winced as the hands pulled the ropes even tighter, bringing a burning sensation across her skin. _

_Alaqua yanked uselessly at her bindings the moment she heard the man's footsteps fade away, despite the knowing fear mounting in the back of her mind. No one was coming. All the men were upon the lake, and were too far away to hear her. The women would be singing as they normally did while they worked in the gardens, and wouldn't be able to hear her either. The children could do nothing. She was doomed to accept the fact that no help would arrive. _

_Yet she screamed nonetheless, her shriek filling the air and echoing back to her ears. A sharp blow to her head caused her blindfold to lift slightly, revealing the bright light of the sun which slowly faded away as she slipped into unconsciousness, along with her hope. _

With wide eyes and a yelp she shot up, the drowsiness of sleep fading away and replaced with fear as she glanced around wildly in the darkness. She wasn't sure whether she was still trapped within a memory, or if she was back with the elves. Had there been any elves? Had that been something she had imagined, and she was really still living in a cold, filthy room with multiple other girls? It didn't feel cold. In fact, it was exceptionally warm. And the air wasn't stuffy, and didn't spell of body odor. It was crisp, and smelled of trees and plants.

"Bad dreams?" she bit back a scream at the sudden voice in the blackness.

Oh, yes. The elves were real. No man could possibly sound like that. No man could have the voice of honey, with the underlying hint of masculinity within it.

Squinting through the shadows, she searched for the source of the voice in vain. She knew it could not be Alasseo, for he was too talkative to allow his question to go unanswered for this long. It must be Vanimon or Legolas.

Alaqua nodded, trusting his Elvin sight to see better than hers.

"Would you like to speak about it?"

Ah, so it was Vanimon then. Legolas was too few of words to wish to have a conversation with her. Though he spoke more often around the other two, he was normally quiet, especially around her. Vanimon was similar, but he asked her more questions, and voiced his opinion more often.

Vanimon must've taken her lack of response for refusal.

"Perhaps another time, then,"

Alaqua shifted with discomfort, feeling she should speak, but did not know what to say. She opted for silence.

"You should try to rest. We have one more day of riding before we reach the Long Lake, and though you have improved, it would be wise to save your energy.

Well, she certainly hoped she had gotten better! It felt as if she had spent the majority of her life on horseback, though in reality it had been slightly less than a week.

Choosing again to say nothing, she lay back down on her side for a few moments before she rolled over with a huff, only to have a rock dig into her ribs uncomfortably. Sighing in frustration, she scooted away from the stone and struggled to find a comfortable position.

That is when she first heard him sing.

Back at home, a woman named Kareen was considered to be the best singer in the entire village. Her voice had had a gentle quality to it, but was powerful at the same time. When Alaqua was younger, she used to beg Kareen to sing a song for her every night.

Kareen's voice was nothing compared to the deep, smooth voice of Vanimon. Each note washed over her in transparent waves, sending chills down her spine, yet making her body tingle with warmth all the same. It was as if a velveteen blanket had been wrapped around her on a snowy day. She fought against the sleep that pulled her into its waves of unconsciousness, fought to continue listening to his song. But with each elvish word he sang, the harder it became to fight, until at last she gave in and allowed herself to lapse into a dreamless sleep.

---

She was shaken awake gently, her eyes opening slowly and she found herself staring up at the face of Vanimon. She barely listened to him say they would leave in fifteen minutes, so tired she was. Yet as he walked away she became alert and called his name softly.

"Thank you," she said as he faced her, "for helping me sleep last night,"

She was met only with a gaze of confusion and the brilliant blue eyes of Legolas boring into her back.


	7. Chapter 7

**I've had a couple of people tell me that it seems as if I've been…making up Alaqua's emotions. My only explanation for this is that I've been struggling to keep everyone in character. **

**If you notice in the beginning of the story Legolas was smiley with Alaqua and now he is more distant. That was my mistake; I'm going to try and stick with this more serious Legolas, please let me know if you think he is straying from the character I've made him to be. I've had Alaqua yelling at the elves while I also have her uncomfortable and slightly frightened around them. Also my mistake. Yes, Alaqua does have a temper, but most people don't lecture people they're frightened of. **

**I'm fairly new to writing, as well. Yes, I've written before, but it was mostly just a load of crap that I didn't care if anyone liked or not. This is pretty much my first 'serious story' I guess you could call it. **

**So, basically I'll try my best to make the characters seem more realistic.**

**Long explanation-rant-thing over. **

**Thank you, everyone, for all of the reviews!**

She was home.

The sentence ran through her mind repeatedly as she was helped off Arod. It was all she could think as her eyes swept over the green landscape that was her home. Over and over she heard the phrase in her mind as she watched children chase each other in the meadow while cackling wildly.

She was home.

She couldn't stop the large smile that settled upon her lips and the joy that exploded within her, sending tingles of happiness from her toes to her fingertips. Happy wasn't a valid description. Happy couldn't even begin to cover what she was feeling. She was elated, blissful, and ecstatic. Even those words seemed to fall short.

It was only when Vanimon tapped her shoulder did she realize that she had remained still for quite a while. She could see the surprise written blatantly across each of their faces when she gave them a large smile and moved forward towards her home. They were so used to her silence and indifference that when she displayed such delight at being here, they were shocked.

Each step she took towards the town lifted her spirits higher and higher until she was absolutely positive she could be no happier. Soon she could see people taking notice of their arrival, and before long there was a large crowd of people waiting to see who had come to visit. One woman was shoving her way through the mass of people, and caught Alaqua's eye.

Mother? No, it couldn't be. The mother she knew didn't look like this. The mother she knew had eyes that sparkled with joy; not the dull pair that this woman possessed. Her mother had hair that shone as if it was spindled gold, and was livelier than many of the children. This woman looked as if she had spent numerous nights without sleep and had streaks of grey in her hair. No, she was a stranger, not the mother she knew so well.

"Alaqua!"

Was it her? It sounded so much like her Mother.

"Momma?"

"Oh!" the woman broke into tears and ran to her daughter, wrapping her arms around her tightly,

"I've missed you so, Alaqua,"

Alaqua felt her own eyes begin to water as she inhaled the scent of baked bread that she always associated with her mother.

"I missed you too, Momma,"

The crowd surged forward and surrounded the pair, each person giving Alaqua a tight hug and words of happiness. Alaqua was smiling so widely and laughing so hard that her stomach and cheeks began to ache considerably. These people were so kind, so familiar; she hadn't realized how much she truly cherished them until this moment.

"Who are they?" a child's voice was heard over the chatter of the townsfolk.

Each individual's gaze turned to see the three elves standing in all their elegant beauty, staring back at them with no emotion whatsoever. The wind chose that moment to blow furiously by them, and while the humans received hair in their faces and mouths, the elves did not. Their hair simply lifted around their face, creating a halo-like appearance.

Alaqua thought they had never looked more beautiful; her friends did not agree.

"Demons!"

Alaqua listened with horror as the first cry was followed by many others, each one a more evil creature than the one before. She tried her best to protest, to tell them they were not demonic beings, but she was unheard. She began to push her way towards the elves, but no matter how many people she passed she seemed to be getting no further to them. Finally one man lifted his pitchfork with a bellow and was chorused by the others.

"No!" her yell fell on deaf ears, and she was forgotten as quickly as she had been welcomed, pushed aside as they moved forward, fully intending to kill the elves before them. She fought against the crowd desperately, trying to tell them the elves were _good_, but no one cared. Finally a specific man grew tired of her, and gave a harsh shove to the side, and she fell with a yelp to the ground. She screamed with mounting fright as the people began to step over and on her, none bothering to help her, none hearing her.

Except for an elf.

Legolas had been watching the scene with growing wariness, and he could feel Vanimon and Alasseo tense beside him. As the men advanced dangerously close, he prepared himself to mount Arod and simply leave the angry mob behind him, yet when he heard Alaqua's shriek of terror he knew he couldn't abandon her.

Drawing his bow and arrow, he swiftly pointed it at the nearest man.

"Move aside," his voice was low and menacing, and the man took no more than two seconds to move away from the sharp arrow that would soon be buried into his forehead, should Legolas choose to release the string.

The humans grew silent at the sight of his weapon, each one shifting quickly to the side as he progressed towards them. He inertly smirked mirthlessly at the fickle emotions of humans. So quick to kill, yet so unwilling to die.

Finally he reached her, even filthier than when he had first seen her from the dirt she was currently sitting in, but glancing up at him with a look of gratefulness. He reached out his hand, and she shakily took it, stumbling slightly as she stood.

"Are you alright?"

Her hazel eyes were quickly shrouded with the surprise he normally saw whenever he spoke to her, but faded away as she opened her mouth to answer.

"Alaqua! Do you know this...thing?"

She jerked her eyes from his, and a feeling of annoyance swelled inside him at the man who interrupted them.

"Yes," she responded, her hazel eyes moving back toward him.

"Yes, I do,"

"I am terribly sorry," her mother apologized once more as began to boil water for tea, "Had I known you actually _rescued_ my Alaqua-,"

"T'is alright," Alasseo responded cheerfully, "We've been any many similar situations."

He went on to tell her mother the story of one of his recent adventures, and she listened with undivided attention, her eyes narrowed and lips pursed as they always were when she focused on something. Alaqua shook her head affectionately at both her mother and the elf. She never would've thought the three would be sitting at her kitchen table, looking completely out of place in the quaint cottage.

Her attention began to wander as studied the kitchen; the wooden cupboards that's paint had begun to chip off; the worn rug that her mother loved so much, and simply refused to move, regardless of the small holes scattered over it. She reveled in the feeling of recognition, running her hands over the table she had eaten countless meals at, a small grin adorning her lips.

Glancing back up, she realized Alasseo's story had ended, and they were all staring at her, humor evident in their gazes. Her eyes caught Legolas' and she instantly glanced away, blushing in remembrance of the previous day.

_"I'm sorry, Alaqua, but I don't remember singing at all last night," Vanimon responded in confusion, "perhaps it was a dream,"_

_Alaqua said nothing as the unwanted feeling of embarrassment flooded over her, and despite her mind's insists that she shouldn't do it, she looked over at Legolas. A faint smile of amusement was present upon his lips, and her stomach gave another flip; of discomfort, of course. _

_"Yes," she finally answered Vanimon, "a dream," _

"Such a wonderful idea, don't you agree, Alaqua?" her mother was looking at her expectantly, and Alaqua quickly agreed with her, not wanting to risk her mother's wrath, should she know she hadn't been paying attention

"See Legolas? She doesn't mind at all! You three must stay for a few days!"

Alaqua's eyes widened.

_'Stay a few days?'_

"Now Alaqua, go freshen up, you must prepare yourself for the celebration!"

_'Celebration?'_

With a silent groan she stood up, trudging sulkily towards the bathing room.

The stars were bright over the many people who were now dancing merrily around the bonfire to the upbeat music, in contrast to Alaqua's current mood. The party had been thrown in Alasseo's, Vanimon's, and Legolas' honor. Oh, wait, _and_ hers. The moment she had arrived people had instantly given her hugs and 'welcome backs', yet as the night went on she found herself sitting by herself and sipping at her water.

She glared over at the elves, who were surrounded by numerous girls set on snagging one of the 'most handsome creatures in Middle Earth'. She snorted in an unladylike manner, '_were they not the ones who had told her horror stories of the elves to begin with?'_

She was somewhat comforted by the fact that the only one seeming to enjoy the attention was Alasseo, and found her lips curling up at the look of utter boredom upon Vanimon's face. While Legolas was putting up a believable front of cheer, it was made obvious to her that he was acting when the moment the girls looked away, his face was a mirror image of Vanimon's.

Her smile instantly faded as she saw chubby figure of Hoenir barreling his way through the crowd as he strutted towards her. Glancing around for a hiding place and finding absolutely none she moaned in horror. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to will away his eagerness to dance with her. Alaqua had managed to avoid him thus far, but now she was obviously out of luck; nearer and nearer he came until he was less than three feet away.

"Would you like to dance?"

She gasped in at the sudden voice next to her, and was surprised to see Legolas. She considered denying him, knowing the awkwardness that often accompanied dancing, but when she heard Hoenir call out her name she grabbed his offered hand and pulled him rapidly towards the other dancing couples.

Preoccupied making sure there was no sign of the overweight redhead, she was shocked to feel Legolas place a hand on her waist and instantly jerked away.

"What are you doing?"

Legolas raised a single eyebrow, as if that was somehow a legitimate response to her question.

"Dancing,"

Oh.

In her hast to escape Hoenir, she had actually agreed to dance with Legolas. And the music was no longer upbeat; no, it was now slow and romantic. This was _not_ the type of dance she wanted to share with Legolas.

Yet she had no choice; he was holding his hand out to her again, and she took it for the third time today, but this time was different. This time it sent a spell of tingles down her arm and caused her to shiver, making her forget why she was holding his hand in the first place. When he put his hand on her hip she was brought back to reality with a jolt as she felt a whole new tingly sensation there, too. Placing her hand upon his shoulder she found that the material was quite soft and rubbed her fingers across it, blushing as she took notice to the firm muscles beneath it and not noticing Legolas' small grin.

Then they began to move, and Alaqua thought no more of the warm tingly feeling she had experienced, simply delighting in the music as Legolas swept her across the ground. Every other boy she had danced with had been clumsy and inexperienced, yet Legolas possessed an unearthly elegance. Never in her life had she felt as graceful as she did in this moment.

She didn't think about the radiant smile that soon found its way upon her lips, and she didn't think about how her mood was no longer depressed and irritated, but happy. She didn't think at all until the dance was over, and Legolas had led her back to her seat, bowing to her before leaving her presence.

Then she found she simply couldn't stop thinking about how cold she felt without the warmth of him near her.

**My Birthday is on the 13th! So I'm expecting lots of reviews for presents. **

**Thanks to my beta, Aganippe, who was up early in the morning editing this to fit my schedule :-) Isn't she the best?**

**Oh, also, check out my forum! It's basically where all my readers can ask me questions, or chat with each other, or whatever.**

**I've decided to have a vote off between Alasseo and Vanimon. If you like Alasseo, say so in a review; if you like Vanimon, then say so in a review.**

**First person to review gets a plushie of the elf they vote for!**

**Most Entertaining Review for Chapter 6 goes to: Fear Of The Furbies**

**Anyone want to know who is pretty fricking cute? Tom Felton. Gorgeous AND British, what more can you ask for?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the awesome birthday reviews!**

**So, was anyone watching the FIFA world cup? Did you guys see that totally CRAZY, INSANE, STUPID call on the U.S. that gave Ghana that penalty kick? I was like WTH IS GOING ON HERE? Grrrrrr.**

**Sorry, that has nothing to do with the story, does it?**

**I'm not really sure what people in Middle-Earth eat, so I had to wing it. I apologize if it's incorrect. **

The smell of bacon wafted throughout the kitchen as her mother prepared their breakfast at the stove. Alaqua inhaled deeply as she set the table, smiling at the recollection of how her mother and she had struggled to squeeze extra chairs around the table for the elves. Glancing at the closely situated seating places, she winced in advance at what a tight squeeze it would be. Counting the seats once more, she realized they were one chair short.

"Momma, we need another chair," she stated.

Her mother glanced up from her cooking, and swiped a stray hair out of her face while calculating the number of seats.

"Why is that?" Her mother replied, bemused.

Alaqua smiled, though her mother wasn't an idiot, she certainly wasn't known for her intelligence.

"There are six of us, momma, not five,"

Paling considerably, her mother stood idle and stared at her daughter for a moment, clenching her fists as she normally did when she was nervous.

"Your father takes his meals in bed," her voice was firm, but the moisture gathering in her eyes made Alaqua second-guess her mother's calmness. Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, Alaqua was fully prepared to ask her mother why her father had to eat in bed, but was interrupted by the kiss Alasseo laid on her cheek.

"Good Morning," he greeted cheerfully, though it sounded more like he knew it was a good morning, and was simply informing them of the fact.

Ignoring him, Alaqua moved to stand next to her mother. Opening her mouth to let the interrogating commence, she was cut off once more by her mothers silencing look. Alaqua in turn narrowed her eyes, letting the older woman know that she _would_ get her answers, and turned on her heel, sitting in her chair with a noisy huff.

"Are you feeling alright, Alaqua?" Vanimon inquired, looking slightly disquieted.

Attempting to reassure him, she gave a distant smile and returned to her thoughts. _What's wrong with Papa?_ She thought worriedly, biting her lip as her pondering made a turn for the worse. _Was he dead? Was her mother trying to hide the truth by saying he was in bed?_

A light touch on her arm distracted her, and she turned to give a grateful grin to the one who pulled her from her morbid thoughts, only to have her breath catch in her throat at the intensity of Legolas' gaze upon her. His face was as emotionless as ever, but his eyes spoke of such concern that she found her heart racing at an unheard of speed and hoping that his elven ears weren't acute enough to hear the thumping emitted from her chest.

Breaking eye contact she glanced down; his hand was still upon her arm, and was burning through her skin in much the same way that his eyes were. Growing uncomfortable, she shifted her forearm, and tried her best to stop the million thoughts running through her mind, knowing the dangers of over thinking things.

Drowning out the incessant chatter of her mother and Alasseo, she mindlessly shoved the food on her plate around, her appetite long gone.

"Alaqua, do you not like the food? Would you like something else?"

She felt annoyance well swiftly within her, and she squeezed the fork in her hand tightly until her knuckles turned snow-white. Her mother acted as if nothing was wrong! She insisted on leaving Alaqua in the dark about her father's condition, and acting as if nothing ever happened!

"I would like," Alaqua snapped angrily, "to know what is wrong with Papa!"

Her mother gaped, clearly surprised at her daughter. In truth, Alaqua was also. She had never spoken to her mother in such a way before. Not wishing to argue, she shoved away from the table and dashed out the door, letting it slam shut behind her.

Walking to the edge of the porch, she stood and looked up to the sky. It would rain soon; already she could feel the moisture in the air, and the clouds were darkening as steadily as her mood. She was only given a few more seconds of solitude before the door creaked open, alerting her to the presence of another. It was silent for a moment.

"He went looking for you, your father,"

Alaqua didn't turn to look at her mother, but her body instantly tensed at her voice.

"I thought you had just run away, and that he would return with you in a matter of days. Yet as a week passed there was no sign of him, and soon a week had turned to a month and I still heard nothing of either of you. I had thought you both to be dead," Her voice shook slightly as she said this, but she continued on," two weeks ago he returned, nearly falling off his horse as he neared our house. I immediately called the medic, and he told us your father had caught a disease. It is incurable,"

Alaqua squeezed her eyes shut and drew a shuddering breath.

"Why didn't you tell me?" her tone was rough, as if someone had stolen her voice and rubbed it with the jagged edge of a rock before allowing her to speak.

"When you were taken from me, I always blamed myself for not being able to protect you. I know you must've faced so many horrors while you were gone, though you refuse to speak of it. I just wanted to shield you from the sadness as long as I could,"

She progressed towards Alaqua as she spoke, gently laying a hand on her shoulder when she came close enough, trying to console her daughter in her moment of pain.

Yet Alaqua wrenched herself away from the woman, leaping off the porch just as a clap of thunder sounded and the first raindrops made their descent towards the ground. Paying them no heed, she ran rampantly through the streets. The rain made her old dress heavy, and it stuck to her like a second skin; made the dirt streets into mud, and soon her shoes were covered in the substance. Yet she continued on. She didn't know where she was going; only that she had to get as far away from her mother as possible.

She navigated the streets carelessly, not caring if she turned left or right, as long as she was moving farther away. Soon she had reached a dead end, and the only options she had were to sit in the rain or to sit in the barn. Choosing the barn, she circled to the back door and entered, glad they never locked it.

She ignored the horses' neighs and whinnies for attention as she passed by, only wishing to see one horse; Black. A grim smile appeared on her lips as she reached his stall.

'_So fitting for my situation, _she thought mirthlessly,' _an endless road of black, with no end, no light in sight'_

He snorted when she came into his line of vision, and, as if sensing her depression, rested his nose on her shoulder. She finally let sadness overtake her as she wrapped her arms around his strong neck and, like a dam that had broken, a multitude of tears were released from her eyes.

_Papa is going to die._

Even the happiness she had felt for being home wasn't enough to stave this depression off.

Alaqua's hands curled to fists as her sobs wracked her body mercilessly. Only when Black shook his head and nudged her back did she notice Legolas standing behind her. He fixed her with a sorrowful stare, and though she tried her best, she simply couldn't keep the torrents of tears from sliding down her face, and eventually resorted to stuffing her fist in her mouth to stifle her whimpers. Legolas didn't seem to mind that she cried harder when he wrapped his arms around her, and simply held her tightly to him as she soaked his shirt more thoroughly than the rain had.

-

An hour later they sat on the mixture of dirt and hay that was the ground, leaning against Black's stall door. Alaqua's sobbing had ceased and though they were no longer embracing, her head lay on his shoulder, drawing on his strength. Her eyes were red, and she was sniffling pitifully. Normally she wouldn't have wanted anyone to see her in this state, but she found she couldn't remember a time that she had been more grateful for person's company, than now,

"Have you ever lost someone before?" she asked him quietly.

"Yes," he answered solemnly" during the quest to destroy the ring, a man called Boromir died defending two hobbits."

If she had been in a better mood, she might have reveled in the fact his voice no longer sent her into a state of shock, but instead felt sorry for his loss.

"That must have been awful," she replied, knowing what he must have felt.

"It was. We were not very close, but it was my first experience with death. It is not something I wish to face again, but I know I will, many times, until I sail to Valinor."

Alaqua didn't know what to say to this, so she remained quiet for a moment.

"You do not have to answer this, Alaqua, but it has troubled me for as long as I have known you. I must ask."

Alaqua lifted her head to face him, confusion evident upon her features, and he met her gaze steadily as he spoke.

"When you were with that _man,"_ he said it as if Solanth was undeserving of the word, "Did anyone ever force their self upon you?"

She pursed her lips at the unexpected query, and swallowed, not wanting to think about the reason she was sitting with this elf today.

"No," she whispered, "I was lucky in that aspect, I suppose," she spoke in remembrance of the shrieks that used to keep her up at night, the noise of girls who were being robbed of their virginity. Always, she had wished to do something to stop it all, but each time she could never work up the courage.

"Is it not ironic," she remarked," that if I had never been captured, I never would have met you?"

At this, Legolas wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him once more.

"Good things can be the result of a bad situation," he responded.

Alaqua was tempted to say that her father catching a disease certainly wasn't a good result, but stopped herself, knowing it would hurt him, and contented herself with listening to his steady heartbeat.

"Legolas, would you sing me a song? One from your home?"

Not knowing what demon had possessed her to ask the question, she felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment, and hid her face in his chest. She waited for him to laugh at her, to say what a foolish human she was, and was pleasantly surprised to hear Legolas begin to sing. She closed her eyes to cherish the beauty of his voice, and as it drifted melodically through the barn, the horses silenced to appreciate it, also. A small smile made its way onto her lips, and there it remained as she drifted into unconsciousness.

**Corny's Idol was the first to review, and (I'm assuming) voted for Alasseo. Therefore, you get an Alasseo plushy!**

**Right, so, Vanimon won 5-2. That means Alasseo gets to die. Woot.**

**Ha, I'm totally kidding, I just wanted to see who you guys liked better. No worries. **

**Does anyone else think the pop ups on FanFiction have gotten out of control?**

**Anyways, if you guys don't start posting on that forum soon, I'm probably just going to delete it. **

**REVIEW PLEASE!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello my wonderful readers. Hope your summer has been going well.**

**I just read over my last few chapters and realized they weren't of the best quality. I was tempted to take the entire story down and editing it over, but I decided I must barrel onward. Hope you all like this chapter!**

It wasn't the rays of the sun that woke her this morning, nor was it the pleasant chirping of birds. Fate had already torn her from her family and placed her in the hands of a cruel barbarian. Fate had sent three elves to rescue her and bring her once more to her family, only to rip the possibility of happiness from her hands before she realized she had had her hands around it. Therefore, what reason would there be to wake her in a genial fashion? No reason at all. Which is why Alaqua found herself shaken from unconsciousness by a hacking cough that sounded harshly upon her ears.

She forced herself to ignore the faint traces of sleep that fought to overcome her willpower and fall back into the state of mind in which the ache in her chest did not exist. She ripped the blanket away from her body and almost regretted her decision to do so as her cocoon of warmth was broken and the cold flooded over her body, sending a chill down her spine.

As she began her morning routine of preparing for the day, Alaqua emitted a scornful laugh at those who didn't believe in destiny, those who believed they were actually in control of their lives. They would learn, though. They would come to realize that Fate was deranged and merciless, and would beat their hopes into the ground only to laugh in their faces.

Once she had tied the final string of her boots together, she stood and looked out her small window, watching as wisps of light slowly found their way through the darkness, lighting the clouds in an array of colors, a beautiful process she had ignored the past few days. Strangely enough, this event succeeded in lifting her spirits higher, if only slightly, where even Alasseo had failed.

_' 'Tis so odd, how we marvel at the beauty of the sun as it rises and falls,'_ Alaqua found herself thinking,'_ yet when it shines at it's brightest, it is too painful to look at' _

Her eyes burrowed downwards causing a crease between them as she began to further ponder the statement, only to be ripped from her thoughts at the sudden slam of the door. Knowing it must've been her mother leaving, she reached her bedroom door in a single stride and pulled it open, stepping cautiously into the hallway. Doing her best to remain quiet she crept towards her parents' room, walking on her tiptoes and suddenly wishing she had left her shoes off.

In a matter of seconds she stood before a door that she knew very well. A door that she had opened countless times, yet this time, she could not bring herself to turn the knob. She remembered pushing it open carelessly on her 8th birthday, leaping with excitement onto the large bed where her mother and father had been sleeping soundly. She remembered her father's grunt of amusement as she landed atop his stomach, and his eyes warm with affection as she bounced around exclaiming _'I'm eight!'_ for all to hear.

She remembered sobbing pitifully as she opened the door without a second thought, running into the warm arms of her parents and feeling the remains of her nightmare fade along her with her fear in her papa's embrace.

In all her memories opening this door meant entering a haven of love and safety. It meant escaping her worst fears, and having her best dreams realized. Yet now all this door signified was the entering of a world in which her father would not be what she remembered. He would be weak with sickness, not the strong man who had fought away the monsters of her dreams. His eyes would no longer shine with laughter and life, but would be dull and weary. Why enter such a world?

She stumbled away from the door and back to her room, no longer taking care to be quiet. She flung herself upon the bed and shoved her head under her pillow, telling herself she wouldn't enter that world. She would stay on this side of the door and soon her papa would burst in, telling her she had better get up before he made her. Wrapping the previously discarded blanket around her, she did her best to ignore the whispers in the back of her mind, telling her she couldn't hide from the truth forever.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Are you alright?" she ignored Legolas' question and continued to feign sleep.

"Your mother told me that you refuse to rise,"

Alaqua nearly forgot to keep her breathing slow and even as annoyance directed at her mother bubbled in her abdomen. She should've known the woman would've sent in reinforcements!

"I know this must be about your father,"

Alaqua's eyes narrowed underneath the pillow. Why did they think her father had a life threatening disease? He had a mere cold, and would be fine within a week.

"I also know you are not sleeping,"

With this statement the pillow was lifted off her head, and her annoyance towards her mother quickly transformed into anger, and was shifted to Legolas. She pushed herself off the bed and rushed at the elf, attempting to rip the object away from him only for Legolas to hold it above his head. She glared up at his face, her fury escalating to rage when he raised an eyebrow.

"Give it back," she had a murderous glint in her eyes, and felt a small sense of satisfaction when his lowered brow joined the other in his expression of surprise.

"Your father is sick, Alaqua,"

The simple statement was enough to knock the breath from her lungs and felt the pain in her chest return.

"He has a cold,"

Her voice was weak, and even as she spoke the words she knew they weren't true. For the past few hours she had been able to pretend that he would be fine, had been able to pretend that her father would be perfectly healthy. All it took was Legolas' declaration to shatter her illusion. And she hated him for it.

"No, Alaqua, it is more serious than that," Legolas said gently, his eyes filled with kindness and sympathy. She hated him for it. She hated him for bringing her out of the painless world she had created for herself. She hated him for feigning good-heartedness while telling her something that every child dreads hearing. She hated him for being immortal. She hated him because he would never know the pain she was going through, yet he had the audacity to pity her! Before she realized what was happening, her hands had shoved Legolas' chest and he had staggered backwards, shock written across his face.

"I hate you," she whispered fiercely, and found her hand swinging rapidly towards his face. Legolas grabbed her wrist moments before contact and drew her roughly to him, the hurt and anger apparent in the depths of his blue eyes melted the heat of her anger and remorse made the pain in her chest unbearable.

"I'm sorry," she choked out, repeating the words as tears spilled from her eyes and Legolas closed the already narrow distance between them, allowing her to seek comfort in his arms as he had days ago, leaving the pillow forgotten on the floor.

**Yeah, I know, it's short. Sowwy **

**Thank you all so much for reviewing! We finally got to 100!**

**Much love to Aganippe, the beta of betas.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long. I wish I had an excuse, buuut I don't. **

"_It is about time you see him, darling,"_

_Breathe._

"_I know it would be so much easier to deny it-"_

_Just breathe. Deep, slow breaths._

"_but your father is sick, and he is running out of time,"_

_Alaqua only noticed her tears when she felt her mother's hand upon her face, wiping them away. Glancing up she saw identical trails of wetness down the elder woman's cheeks. Had it been a different situation nothing would've tormented Alaqua more than the knowing that the woman who had birthed her was suffering. Yet, now she felt nothing but the same hollow ache of before. Perhaps it simply could get no worse from here. _

In hindsight, Alaqua realized how wrong she had been. It could get worse, much worse. She only wished she had known before, so she could be better prepared for what she was now experiencing. Her limbs were leaden, immobilized by their own weight. Her lip erupted in pain as she bit down upon it in order to stifle her sobs, but she could feel nothing. For even as she tasted the metallic flavor of blood upon her tongue, the throbbing, aching, _incomplete_ feeling in her chest outweighed all physical pain.

The dreary weather ironically matched the overwhelming sadness in Alaqua's heart. The sun was completely enveloped by the gray-tinged clouds, and she struggled for each breath, smothered by the humid air. Thunder rumbled off in the distance, a distinct warning of the rain that would soon fall, but was paid no heed as the town gathered around the basket of Alaqua's sorrow. Her mother stood by her side, all dignity abandoned as she wailed in grief, her heart-wrenching cries reverberating in the depths of Alaqua's own soul. She knew not where the three elves were and could not find it within herself to care.

Memories of their last conversation attempted to push themselves into her thoughts as she found her eyes focused on his lifeless features, but she ripped her eyes away, and managed to thrust the thoughts into the back of her mind. Kareen's voice lifted in sorrowful song, but did not register on Alaqua's near-deaf ears. She took in a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt tears she had been struggling against fall down her cheeks as she finally allowed herself to succumb to the pain.

_He was asleep, but even in that state his face was set in a grimace, as if in pain. His breaths were shallow and rasping; the sound grated on her ears. The color of his skin was no longer a golden tan, but sickly pale. She sat upon the corner of the bed, doing her best not to wake him as her weight on the bed caused his body to shift. She was unsuccessful, and her father's eyelids slowly lifted upward, as if it took great effort. When Alaqua's eyes finally met his, she gasped in shock, not because what she saw was horribly gruesome, but _different_. They were so dull, such a dull brown. The green that had once lit up his eyes was not visible, overwhelmed by the sad, lifeless brown._

"_Come closer, Alaqua,"_

_She was trembling, she realized, as she forced herself to her feet, forced herself to move forward. Forced herself to sit next to the very thing she had feared: a father who was soon to die. _

_She knew not what was the event that set off her tears. Perhaps it was the ice-cold feel of his hand on her cheek, a sweet gesture that sent chills down her spine. Perhaps it was the love she saw evident in his eyes, and the hurt in them when she did not return his gaze. Perhaps--no, most likely, was the fact that she was scared of her father. Scared of the inevitable outcome that he would die, and it was all because of _her.

"_Do not cry, darling, too many tears have been shed at my expense already,"_

_She shook her head, pressing her hands against her eyes, hoping the pressure would trap the tears where they were not visible._

"_This is all my fault," her voice was anguished, and her breaths had become hiccups now, so severe was her crying._

"_No!" _

_Alaqua's head shot up at the anger in his voice, and though his eyes still conveyed all the love he held for her, his mouth was set in a frown._

"_Do not blame yourself. The only one you should place the fault upon is the very man who stole you from my home, and even him you must make your peace with,"_

_She nodded her understanding, still sniffling pitifully._

"_How did this happen? How did you get sick?"_

_He sighed, lifting his shoulders slightly in what Alaqua assumed was a shrug._

"_It could have been anything. The medic told me it is somewhat contagious, though he knows not in what form. It might've been meat I ate, the wine I drank, someone I touched. I know only two things, my daughter. Firstly, that I am dying,"_

_Her heart jumped to her throat at those words, and she reached for his hand, grabbing it tightly in her own, hoping that their linked fingers would keep him here, with her._

"_And secondly, that I have loved no other more than I love you,"_

_A single sob shook Alaqua's body, and she gripped her father's hand even tighter, her eyes running over every contour of his face, attempting to seal it in her memory forever._

"_I love you too, papa,"_

_His hand moved as if to touch her face, but a sudden coughing fit overtook his body, and he drew it back to his mouth, rolling to his side, as if trying to shield his daughter. Alaqua cringed as the coughs increasingly got worse, and rubbed his back methodically, hoping the touch would comfort him._

_Finally his coughing ceased, and when he turned back to face her she was horrified to see blood dripping from his lips. Though he wiped it away, the image still haunted her thoughts, even as her mother opened the door, announcing that she had brought water for the both of them. Even as her father sipped from the cup held to his mouth, the heartbreaking picture was still evident in her mind, though she repeatedly tried to push it away._

_A hand was placed on her shoulder, and she glanced up at her mother. She looked so tired, with black circles beneath her eyes, and hair falling out of her carelessly made bun. Wrinkles that had been previously nonexistent now lined her forehead, mouth, and eyes. Even still, she gave Alaqua the biggest smile she seemed to be able to manage, which only amounted to a slight lift of her lips._

"_Have a drink, dearest," She motioned to the two cups she had set on a stand near the bed._

_Nodding, in a dreamlike state, Alaqua rose to her feet and lifted a cup to her mouth, taking a sip of the cool water. It slid down refreshingly down her throat, which had started to ache as a result of her crying. Glancing at her parents, she saw that her mother had taken her father into her arms, and was pressing a wet rag to his forehead, occasionally placing a kiss upon his brow. Knowing that she would be intruding in an intimate moment if she stayed any longer, she exited the room._

_Legolas was waiting for her when she trudged into the hall, and could tell by his instant look of concern that she must have looked frightful. Suddenly she felt exhausted, her legs began to tremble under her weight, and droplets of water began to flow down her cheeks once more, not facing any resistance. He was by her side in an instant, placing an arm around her waist, allowing her to lean on him for the strength she lacked. She was led slowly to her room by the elf, and he lifted her onto her bed, covering her with a blanket as if she was a small child. He then knelt by her side, smoothing her hair away from her face, and spoke to her in a language foreign to her. Had she not been so fatigued to the point where she could not think, she would've marveled at the safety she had felt in that moment, but she hadn't. Instead, she yielded to the comfort sleep offered._

"I am sorry for your loss, Alaqua,"

She slowly looked up from the blade of grass that her eyes were focused upon, until Hoenir came into her line of vision. His pudgy features were sorrowful as she looked down upon him, but she couldn't force herself to acknowledge his words, and turned away from him, looking down once more.

More people paid their respects, and they, too, she ignored. She did not know how long she stood there; minutes, hours, days, it was irrelevant to her now. Even as her feet began to tingle with pain, and her legs ache from her unmoving position, she remained still. Thunder clapped over her head, and lightning flashed, but she disregarded them as easily as she had the people of her town. Finally rain began to pour, and finally Legolas approached her.

"You should come inside, Alaqua,"

She remained reticent, refusing to speak, to move.

"You're shivering. If you continue to stand here you will get sick,"

Good.

"Please,"

So desperate was his plea, the last of her conscience insisted that she at least look at him, but that part was quickly destroyed by the unfeeling mass of darkness that had once been her soul.

"Your father wouldn't have wanted you to do this,"

A burst of anger found it's way through her indifference, and she glared at him, furious.

"And what would you know of my Father?"

She wished he would quiver in fear, wished he would go insane with rage, wished he would show some type of emotion. But he remained calm, as he always was.

"I know that he wouldn't have wanted you to shut everyone out because of him. Would not have wanted you to destroy your life because of him,"

"Oh?"

Alaqua at last moved from her position, stalking determinedly close to him, so close that if one breathed in too deeply it was likely that they would come in contact with each other. Her gaze was steady as she looked up at him, daring him to move.

"And why do you care? Why are you even here?" She asked indignantly.

Legolas held eye contact with her for a few short seconds, and Alaqua was disappointed when he finally looked away. His jaw clenched as he seemed to contemplate his answer, and though she was growing impatient she managed to say silent. After a moment he turned his eyes upon her once more, and she stopped breathing for a moment as she regarded the whirlwind of emotions expressed within them.

"Because it hurts me to see you in pain,"

His hand came near her face, almost caressing it, but never making full contact. She almost turned her face so that his fingers would finally rest upon her cheek, almost wished that he would just touch her already, and almost managed to forget that her father had died. Yet it all came rushing back to her in shocking clarity, and a wave of shame washed over her. Would she forget her father so easily? The thought that she could dismiss her fathers death, even for mere seconds, at the discovery that an elf cared for her, intensified her pain.

Alaqua squeezed her eyes shut, drew a shuddering breath, and backed away. Opening them once more, she knew, even then, that the look of pain upon Legolas' features would forever be something that would overwhelm her with guilt. Turning on her heel she managed to walk away from him, not noticing the two elves that had been watching them, her mind a muddled mess and her heart aching.

**And that's all for this chapter, my darlings.**

**Much love to Aganippe, my beta, who unfortunately couldn't edit this because I was so impatient and had to get this chapter up by Thanksgiving.**

**So I was just wondering, what do you all think is going to happen NOW?**

**please please please please please REVIEW! **

**Love**

**soFitting**


	11. Chapter 11

**Finally, the long awaited Chapter 11!**

_He would not look at her. She shouldn't have minded, considering she reacted strangely whenever his gaze was upon her. She should have rejoiced in his seeming lack of interest in her, yet found herself hurt by it, and yearning for a glimpse of the azure eyes that sent her pulse racing, and blood to her cheeks. _

_He was leaving. _

_He had good reason to, after all. While he certainly hadn't made a declaration of love to her, or even directly said she was anything beyond a friend, the implication of his words made her heart heavy with regret. _

"_Because it hurts me to see you in pain." _

_The mere remembrance of it, the tenderness in his voice, the concern in his eyes obvious to see, though the accompanying emotion was harder to place, caused her breath to stop in her throat. Affection? Fondness? She was unable to say. She had done the right thing, she knew. It would be a betrayal of her father's memory to engage in such a relationship so soon after his death, yet, she wished she had handled it differently. Perhaps if she had taken the time to explain it to him, taken the time to give him…hope, for something in the future--. She could not continue the thought, disgusted by her selfishness. Why should he waste his time waiting for an ungrateful, mortal girl to decide she was ready? Let him search for something better, to move past her. It would not be difficult; his regard for her could not possibly be anything beyond a passing fancy. _

_Upon further reflection she became increasingly repulsed by herself. Who was to say he had feelings for her at all? Had she sunk so low as to delude herself into believing she was extraordinary enough to attract the attention of an elf? Was she so consumed by grief that she would pretend Legolas admired her for a slight lift of spirits? _

'_Perhaps,' a voice whispered in the back of her mind, 'it is _you_ who admires _him._' _

_The notion was quickly smothered, and she refused to think on it again. However, depression's tenacious hold on her grew ever tighter as she watched him gather his things. His presence had been a great comfort to her, she now realized. He had always been there, waiting to console her from the harshness of life, offering her solace in whichever way was required. She was frightened to discover that she did not know how she could make it through this without him. _

_Yet he finally looked up at her, and the blank look in his eyes tore any coherent thoughts from her mind and flung them into the wind. Her heart mourned the loss of warmth, of kindness, within the depths of blue, and she wished to shrink within herself, become invisible before him. She did not wish to be the focus of such an empty gaze. _

_Slowly, Legolas' eyes began to transform into those of another. The lack of emotion was replaced by hate and loathing, and Solanth's sneering features overtook the refined countenance of Legolas. As he loomed closer, hand thrust out as if to yank her to him, she opened her mouth in a silent scream. Just before he made contact, all was enveloped in darkness, and the shrieks she had been unable to voice finally escaped her throat._

Alaqua awoke gasping, shaking her head as remembrance of all that had occurred in the time since that moment overwhelmed her resisting mind.

The years had seemed to blur as they passed by, making it impossible to discern one from the other. One year? Two? Three? The answer was lost somewhere in the shady corners of her mind and she was unable to pinpoint it and draw it to the forefront of her consciousness.

The heartache of losing her father had faded over time, though soon after him her mother passed away, sending her into the depths of despair once more. Men had allowed her mere months of mourning before appearing at her door, stating their desires to marry. At first she was clueless as to why a good number of the men in the village would be so eager to marry her, since she was certainly no legendary beauty. That is, until one, rather lacking in charm, bluntly informed her that while her father was not a wealthy man, he did have ownership over some of the best land in Esgaroth, which Alaqua would inherit. Therefore, Alaqua continued to refuse all of them, unwilling to marry someone whose only interest in her was her land.

Yet, living alone had begun to take it's toll on her. She rarely went outdoors except to do her work, and seldom spoke to the others around her, who, in turn, ceased in their attempts to converse with her. She had cried herself to sleep most nights, the emptiness of her parents' room a continual reminder of their death. The sounds she was normally able to ignore frightened her, as she didn't have the comforting knowledge that her father and mother slept soundly down the hall. She began to realize that she would have to marry soon, if not for love, than for safety and the simple presence of another person.

Still, she continued to reject the offers made to her. She would never admit it to herself, that perhaps she was hoping for another, but it became harder to deny each time she felt her heart flutter hopefully when she opened the door to a pair of blue eyes, only for it to clench disappointedly as she realized it wasn't him. He had left long ago.

The day came when she had finally become resigned to her fate. The very same day Hoenir appeared. It had taken her a moment to recognize him; the once pudgy boy had matured. He had grown taller, thinner, and more muscular. While she could not think him handsome, she had to admit that he definitely wasn't unattractive. His hair was dark, and fell down to his shoulders in waves, contrasting nicely with the light green of his eyes. His features were far too angular to be considered good-looking, yet there was something decidedly fascinating about them, that drew your eyes to him. It was common knowledge that he had had feelings for her for years, was now a successful tradesman, and was a genuinely good person. He proposed and she, having no reason to deny him, accepted.

Four months later, at the age of 23 Alaqua became a married woman.

---

The newborn babe began to shriek instantaneously, the volume of her cries seeming to be abnormally loud as the echoes reverberated off the walls of the cramped room. The midwife quickly bustled out of the room, child in arms, deafening Alaqua's ears to her screams. She slumped exhaustedly against the mound of pillows behind her, bringing a trembling hand up to wipe a trickle of sweat from her brow. A faint desire to see her daughter crossed her mind, yet the thought was quickly extinguished by the fatigue that overwhelmed her, weighing her eyelids down. Sleep swept over her body, casting her into a deep sleep, yet it seemed to be mere minutes before she was awakened.

"Wake up, dear."

Hoenir stood over her, their baby girl in his arms, dozing peacefully. A wide grin spread across her face, and she sat up, reaching her hands out to hold her. Holding her weight inspired such a joyful feeling within her that she couldn't keep the silly smile off her face, nor could she resist placing light kisses upon her smooth cheeks.

"What shall we name her?"

Alaqua did not lift her head at his inquiry, too enraptured by the sight of her daughter. She was in a state of disbelief; her _daughter_. She was a mother. Shaking her head, she nestled her nose against the babe's, as if to check and make sure she was real. She did not realize she hadn't answered Hoenir's question until he continued.

"I was thinking we could name her after your mother. I know she meant much to you."

She glanced up at him in surprise. His suggestion and the unguarded affection he regarded her with were further proof that she did not deserve him. He was always gentle and kind with her, even when she suspected she was trying his nerves, and he never failed to tell her he loved her. She only wished she could return the sentiment.

"Thank you, Hoenir. It is a wonderful idea. My mother would be bursting with joy, if she knew," She answered, her smile still present.

Glancing back at her child, she rocked her back and forth.

"My little Charlotte," she whispered, pressing her flushed cheek against the smaller one.

"Now," Hoenir began, taking Charlotte from her, "you must rest."

Alaqua let out an irritated sigh.

"I am not tired." Yet even as she said this she struggled to keep a yawn back. Hoenir laughed, and simply shook his head, walking out of the door. Pursing her lips, she reclined back against the pillows.

"I forgot to tell you," Hoenir appeared at the door once more, a small grin on his lips, "you're beautiful."

Alaqua narrowed her eyes, briefly wondering how such a stuttering fool had transformed into a kind, charming man, before snuggling further into her pillows, clutching one to her chest. She emitted a content sigh, her eyelids finally sliding shut, only to flinch as an ethereal visage of Legolas instantaneously emerged from the welcoming darkness. She squeezed her eyes against the invading thoughts that were conjoined with such images, and fervently hoped that this sleep would be dreamless.

Maybe then she could begin to forget.

**I'm frightened to see what your reactions will be, but I look forward to them, nonetheless. I realize that the story is moving along incredibly fast, but it is a necessary evil, and it'll settle into a more comfortable pace next chapter.**

**Don't remember Hoenir? There was a very, very brief mention of him in Chapter 7.**

**While you're waiting for my next update, why not check out my one-shot, _If Only_? It's a good one. I promise. **

**Happy Birthday to Aganippe! Unfortunately, she couldn't edit this quickly enough to suit my impatience (not sure if that made any sense) so this chapter is, sadly, unedited. Forgive me for any errors. **

**Happy Easter!**

**Review, please!**

**Love,**

**soFitting**


	12. Chapter 12

The other side of the bed was empty as Alaqua was yanked without ceremony from sleep by the demanding shrieks of Charlotte. Glancing out the window, her exhaustion was confirmed by the ebony of night against the glass. She wrapped the blanket around her as she slid languidly out of bed, shivering as the chill of autumn permeated through the floor to the soles of her feet. The first few weeks Alaqua had rushed to Charlotte's side when she screamed during the night; however, she soon learned that attempting to calm the babe only served to keep her awake longer. She would become playful, pulling at Alaqua's hair and clothes and giggling with delight, despite Alaqua's attempts to put her to sleep. Finally, Alaqua tired of their nightly interactions, and resolved to let Charlotte cry it out, even if it lasted an hour (which it often did).

She had padded out of the room and was halfway down the stairway when Charlotte fell silent much sooner than usual, leaving Alaqua's ears ringing with the sudden silence as she began to form a suspicion of just where her husband had run off to. She shuffled down the hallway while keeping as quiet as possible, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly as she spied the flickering shadow of candle light on the wall opposite Charlotte's room.

Halting just outside the doorway, she leaned against the frame, content to watch Hoenir twirl about the room with their daughter in his arms. He babbled incoherently to her as she squealed in delight, thrusting her pudgy hands out to touch his face.

"What a handsome pair you make," Alaqua spoke after observing them for several minutes, the glitter in her eyes conveying the warmth she felt towards the two. Her family.

Hoenir stumbled on a particularly elaborate spin at her voice, and she rushed forward to keep him from dropping Charlotte, heart fluttering at a furious pace, only to realize he had her clasped tight to his chest. The babe continued to emit excited gurgles, oblivious to her almost-fall, and Alaqua heaved a relieved sigh to which Hoenir responded with a sheepish grin. Encircling her shoulders with his arm, he pulled all three of them into a tight hug, and Alaqua leaned easily into his embrace, taking some weight off of her fatigued limbs. As she shut her eyes, lulled into a drowsy state by the sound of his steady breathing, she was shocked into awareness for the second time that morning by the voice of another.

"I am leaving for my trades route this afternoon."

She jerked her head off his shoulder, looking up at him in disbelief.

"What? Why?"

He turned away from her to ease the now sleeping Charlotte into her cradle before answering.

"Very few people are ever well prepared for the winter. They will be desperate for all that I can provide, now that the season is fast approaching."

His eyes pleaded with her to understand, yet Alaqua found herself incapable of it, and instead felt anger stir within her stomach as disbelief widened her eyes.

"You will abandon your newborn child? Four months before her first birthday?" The question sounded more accusing than inquiring.

"I am not _abandoning_ her, or you!" he stressed, "it's entirely possible that I will be back by then."

"Possible? It's possible? Your child's birthday has been reduced to a mere possibility?" Alaqua scoffed, her voice strained as she struggled against shouting, not wanting to wake Charlotte.

"Well, it is not as if she knows it's her birthday." He blurted out, defensive.

She looked at him with wide, incredulous eyes.

"That does not make it any less important!"

Hoenir sighed, grasping for words as she continued to glare at him.

"Alaqua," He began in a calm voice, "I must do this if we are to continue living as we do now. Unless," he added, "you have a significant amount of money stashed away somewhere."

Pursing her lips, she lifted an eyebrow.

"It is a possibility."

And promptly left the room.

---

She allowed her feet to lead her any way they pleased as she trudged through the roads of the town, the sky a murky grey, an aftereffect of the fleeing night. In contrast to her earlier exhaustion she was thankful for the early hour, glad to be alone as the townspeople slept on.

She had overreacted, she knew. Hoenir was acting out of best interest for all them. Most everything he did was an effort to improve their lives.

_Why must he be so selfless?_

Each benevolent act Hoenir made only increased her guilt for being the exact opposite of what he deserved. Where he was understanding, she was angry; where he was kind, she was cruel; where he was honest, she was deceitful; and, perhaps the worst of all, where he loved her as a husband loves a wife, she loved him as a friend does a friend.

Long since the beginning of their marriage, guilt had been her companion. She wanted so desperately to give him what he desired, the love which he gave so freely, yet her mind could not force her heart to do its will. Her heart did not know the workings of being in love, yet she knew that she could never experience it with this man. Years ago she thought she had felt the beginnings of such an emotion, but had rejected the opportunity, and now had to put the past where it belonged; behind her.

So immersed in her musings, her lush green surroundings went unnoticed, until her thoughts were disrupted as she stumbled over a root. On all fours in the dirt, she suddenly became aware of just how far she had wandered, glancing up in awe of the sunlight as it danced upon the rustling canopy of leaves. The air before her was a mist of light, particles of floating dust catching the light as they swirled before her. Staggering to her feet, Alaqua reached a hand out as if to grasp what looked like tiny fragments of the sun, only to be surprised by a sense of loss as they slipped through her fingers.

Dropping her hand to her side, a shimmering light caught the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she was captivated again by a bubbling spring, light twinkling off its surface as if there were an alternate sun beneath its exterior. She stepped forward, suddenly tempted to dip her hand in the water, wanting to know if it would feel as inviting as it appeared. Taking another step, a twig snapped under her foot, breaking the peaceful silence and making her realize how long she had been away. Gazing at the picturesque area once more, she turned towards home, setting off at a light jog to bid farewell to Hoenir, already planning to return.

---

He placed the final bag in the wagon and faced them with a regretful sigh.

"I will return as soon as possible, I swear to you." His voice was earnest, and Alaqua once again realized she could never stay angry with him for long. She allowed him a small smile, not wanting to part on tense conditions. As Hoenir strode towards them she tilted Charlotte on her hip, allowing her to see him. Upon sight, the infant's arms were immediately out, straining for her father. His smile was instantaneous and he ducked down to press a kiss upon her forehead, chuckling softly as he dodged her attempts to latch on to his hair, shifting his green gaze to Alaqua.

"I will miss you," He said softly, his rough hand cupping her cheek as his eyes, tender with affection, fixated on hers. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, and as he began to pull away she followed him, pressing her mouth firmly against his, desperate to feel _something._ She could sense his surprise as he tensed against her, but he soon responded eagerly, weaving his hand deeper into her hair as he pulled her tighter against him, only to realize that she still held Charlotte in her arms and withdrew, his face flushed. Alaqua could only respond with a disappointed smile, wishing she had experienced the same ardor.

"I will miss you, also."

After giving both females a final caress and smile, he turned on his heel, stepped up to the wagon, and with a flick of the reins he was moving forward. Alaqua stood in place even after the wagon was barely visible in the distance, a dark shadow against the brilliance of the sun, her stomach fluttering with dread at the emotion she had spotted glittering incandescently in Hoenir's eyes. Hope.

**Buckle up, folks, it's a bumpy ride from here on out. I have a flair for the dramatic :-)**

**Thanks to Jessie for helping me with this chapter.**

**Review, please, for the sake of my sanity. **


	13. Chapter 13

The prospect of visiting her newly discovered sanctuary in the forest continued to needle at her. Each night, after settling Charlotte into her cradle, she would imagine herself nestled in a blanket upon the grass, protected by the towering trees and soothed by the soft bubbling of the spring. Such thoughts were so persuasive that only days after Hoenir's departure Alaqua was preparing herself to journey there once more.

"Come, darling," She murmured melodiously to a drowsy Charlotte as she lifted her out of the crib. Reaching for the heavy woolen blanket draped over the nearby chair, in which Alaqua had spent many sleepless nights watching over the young girl, she swathed the babe up to the neck in the warm fabric, a shield against the crisp air of September.

"You will be staying with Kareen for a short while," she continued to coo into Charlotte's ear as she settled her small form upon her hip, all the while making her way out the door and into the street.

She went as quickly as she could manage without jostling Charlotte, her swift stride disturbing the dirt road and sending up swells of dust before her. She did her best to ignore the stares in her direction and the faint whispered words that carried to her ears. After the deaths of both her parents she had isolated herself totally, making herself somewhat of an outcast. She left the house when others would witness it only if it was necessary, and the treatment she received each time she did left her even less inclined to do so again. Yet her desire to return to the forest was too strong to ignore, and thus she forged onward.

Finally, a relieved Alaqua arrived at Kareen's home, a cozy place, with smoke wafting from the stone chimney. She gave the faded wooden door a few light knocks and before she completely withdrew her hand the door swung open, revealing a stout woman with black hair tinged gray and a motherly smile.

"Come, come, dear. Can't allow the cold air in!" Kareen ushered her in and shut the door behind her.

"This way, dearest!"

The elder woman bustled forward, leaving Alaqua to trail after her through the hall way and into the sitting room. While Kareen busied herself preparing tea Alaqua allowed her gaze to roam over the quaint room. Two maroon colored armchairs sat in the middle of the room, angled toward each other, and she could easily imagine Kareen and her husband conversing companionably while in the embrace of the plump cushions. A thick hearth rug was placed before a fireplace crackling with orange flames and she naturally gravitated toward the heat, angling Charlotte so that she could better feel the warmth.

"Here, dearest," Kareen approached, her shoes softly clicking against the wooden floor with her brisk pace.

"You may place Charlotte in here," she gestured to a crib that had escaped Alaqua's attention, "close to the fire, so she will stay nice and warm."

Alaqua smiled politely and thanked her before gently settling Charlotte into the foreign cradle, wary of the babe's reaction. But her daughter simply stretched her small fists above her head, gave a small yawn, and her hazel eyes fluttered shut.

"Now," Alaqua shifted her gaze to the elder woman at the sound of her voice, "let me have a look at you," Kareen grasped her face between both hands as her eyes skimmed Alaqua's features.

She chuckled. "I can remember when your little head barely reached my knees. How you've grown." She shook her head and gave Alaqua's cheeks a final pat before releasing her and handing her a cup of steaming tea.

"Yes," Alaqua grinned in remembrance, "I would wrap my arms around you and insist that you sing for me and I refused to let go until you had. I was a great source of frustration for my Father."

She felt the familiar ache of sadness in her chest at the thought of her parents, and briefly wondered if the pain of loss ever diminished completely, or if it was to forever linger in the back of her mind and the depths of her heart, but she was quick to drive away those thoughts and spoke to distract herself.

"I am sure that Charlotte would enjoy your songs, also, if you would."

"Of course, dear," She answered, "I shall sing till my throat is sore!"

They both sat before the fire, and after a while of idle chatter the tea cups were empty and Alaqua was anxious to depart.

"Well, I must be going now," she rose from her chair, "thank you so much for watching Charlotte."

"It is no trouble, dear." Kareen reassured her as they arrived at the front of the house.

Alaqua opened the door and stepped outside, shivering at the sharp contrast between the heat and the cold, and turned back to Kareen.

"I shall be back in a couple of hours, I am sure. Good day." With a final smile and a wave Alaqua set out to the forest.

---

It was further away than Alaqua had thought it would be. After stepping off the perimeters of Laketown there was no forest in sight, only a vast, open field, and, having no clue of the direction she had gone previously, she simply walked straight. Over thirty minutes elapsed before she spotted the trees of the forest. Luckily, her newly discovered sanctuary was not far from the outer edges of the forest, and she found it easily.

The air was cooler under the shade of the trees, and she pulled her shawl tighter around her body. Already the area began to work its enchantment on her, the oppressive weight of her worries lifted and she was overcome by a peace that she had not felt in years. Unfortunately, she experienced that peace for scarcely a minute before the great thunder of horses' hooves pounding the earth reverberated through the forest. She jerked her head to the left, toward the source, and was only able to see two blurs rapidly speeding toward her.

Her mind shrieked for her to run, to hide, but her stunned limbs could only hold still and wait. Closer and closer they came, approaching at a terrifying speed, until finally they were before her, and she could discern only that they were two men, one dark and one fair. She was passed by, unnoticed, and she breathed a sigh of relief, but it caught in her lungs as one man pulled sharply on the reins, bringing his horse to a jolting halt not but three feet from her, paying no heed to his companion, who had galloped onward. Now that he had stopped she was able to study his features, which were not the features of a man, but of an elf; of Legolas.

Shock rendered her incapable of speech, and as she gaped at the beautiful countenance of an elf she had never expected to see again, an indescribable fear swept over her being even as joy lightened her heart, and she knew only of the desire to stay and the need to leave.

"Alaqua." It was little more than a stunned whisper, but it was enough send the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy.

She had forgotten the clear, musical sound of his voice. She was disturbed by her intense yearning to hear it once more. And with sudden clarity she knew that if she could not dredge up the strength to leave now, she may never.

"I must go." Her voice was unsteady and weak, and she was uncertain of whether he had even heard her, but still she turned and forced her legs to walk away at a moderate pace, clamping down on their urgent wish to run.

She heard hoof beats and within a matter of seconds Legolas was beside her, fluidly stepping off of the horse and stepping into pace with her, leading the horse by the reins.

"May I escort you back?" His gaze was as unsettling as it had ever been, and it was unwavering in its perusal of her.

"No!" Her answer was too forceful and too quick, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the instantaneous guilt that battered at her heart. With a surreptitious glance she saw that the open friendliness he had greeted her with was now an empty mask of indifference, and she dually mourned the loss and loathed herself for being the cause.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment before asking "Will you return tomorrow?"

The question was an opportunity for her to assuage the feelings she had wounded, but thinking of Hoenir and Charlotte, and knowing the danger she placed her heart in if she allowed herself to get close to Legolas, she rejected it.

"No." She repeated flatly.

Alaqua cast another look over at him, noticing that his grip on the reins had tightened and his jaw was clenched, and her remorse was so great that she found her lips moving of their own accord.

"I shall return in a week."

His eyes softened the slightest bit and the edges of his mouth curled, the change was enough to inspire a smile upon her own lips and dispel her worries.

"Legolas!"

They both looked back to see Legolas' companion had returned. Shifting her eyes toward Legolas once more, she was stunned to see his small grin had developed into an amused smile, his cobalt eyes glittered with merriment, and for the second time that day her breath was trapped in her throat.

"Farewell, Alaqua," He leaned down to press warm lips to her cold cheek, setting the flesh ablaze with sensation, before he settled himself upon the horse once more and hastened to his awaiting friend.

She pressed her cool fingertips to the side of her face, attempting to dull the reaction, but, heedless, the pleasant tingle remained. She muttered a curse and pushed onward.

---

After darkness had fallen and Charlotte lay sleeping, Alaqua stood over her, observing her innocent face, and, despite the great love she held for her daughter, she could not expulse the regrets that had resurfaced from today's encounter and nagged persistently at her through the night.

_

* * *

So, there has been a lack of reviews lately, and I don't know if it's because you all hate it or what. So let me know, please. _

_New oneshot! Check it out!_

_Anyway, I'm determined to update again by New Years, though only God knows if I'll manage to do it. Either way, I swear it won't take nearly as long as this chapter did._

_A huge thanks to all my reviewers, I hope you all realize what a great motivation your reviews are. _

_Thanks to Aganippe and Threedaysunrise (Happy?)_


	14. Chapter 14

Tomorrow she would venture to the forest again. Her stomach was uneasy with anxiety and each time she thought of the impending meeting with Legolas her heart would flutter in apprehension. Once Charlotte had fallen asleep she began to prepare a bath for herself, hoping to calm her frayed nerves. The process was long and frustrating, and gave her mind something safe to focus on.

Once the tub was dragged in front of the fire and she had filled it with scorching water, she went to check on Charlotte and, seeing that she was sound asleep, she walked to her bedroom. In the corner was the bureau, and she approached it with quick steps, pulling open a drawer and removing her bathrobe and setting it on the bed. It was a struggle, but she managed to undo the buttons in the back of her dress and it slid off of her body, pooling at her feet. Turning her back to the mirror and glancing over her shoulder at her reflection, she was dismayed by the long line of buttons down the back of her undergarment, and yanked it over her head.

Alaqua turned to leave, looking forward to the warm water of her bath, but stopped. Again she angled her head so that she could see the reflection of her back, now bare but for the multiple long, dark scars that crisscrossed over her skin. Reminders of the whip that Solanth had cracked upon her flesh. The little vanity she possessed loathed the sight of them, and she repelled the image from her sight and mind. She grabbed various fragrances and shampoos, pulled on her bathrobe and head back downstairs to her bath.

The hair of her legs and arms rose up as she padded across the cold floor. With deft movements she untwisted her hair from its bun, shed her bathrobe, and lowered herself into the water. She reclined back and sprawled her limbs in whatever way was comfortable, content to soak for a while. The heat made her drowsy, and only when she found herself drifting to sleep did she force herself to sit up. She reached over the edge of the tub to where she had placed the fragrances, deciding with a bit of thought to pour a bit of rose oil into the water, telling herself it was for her own relaxation and not for Legolas. Next she fumbled for the shampoo as it slipped repeatedly from her slippery grasp, and had to use both her hands to get a firm grip on it.

As she scrubbed her head, massaging it into her hair, her thoughts flitted aimlessly from one trivial subject to another before settling upon Hoenir. He had only been gone three weeks, but already she was hoping for his arrival, though she knew it would be many more weeks, perhaps months before she saw him.

She stared down at the silver ring that rested on the ledge of the tub. Her marriage ring.

Her _marriage_ ring.

The water sloshed over the edges as she jerked herself upright.

Legolas did not know that she was married. How could she ever tell him that she had been married for three years? That she had a child?

The tranquil calm of the bath had dissipated, leaving behind a horrified Alaqua. The rational portion of her mind worked to soothe her. _It has been years_, it told her, _it would be foolish of him to believe that you were not married!_ Yet this helped not at all, and her fingers tightened their purchase of the edge of the tub.

_I will not go! I cannot go! _Were her frantic thoughts.

_You must go! _Insisted rationality, _Think of all the things you must tell him! That you are sorry for the way you treated him, that you are grateful for his assistance, for his support._

But she continued to panic until, finally, her sense came to its last resort.

_He will not care._

Her tense position relaxed and her worries quieted, replaced instead by a pensive, somber emotion. She immersed her head in the water, rinsing out the remainder of the shampoo, before rising above once more. She slouched against the back of the tub, her eyes steady as they watched the ring.

"No," she said to herself, "he will not care."

Alaqua surged above the lukewarm water and stepped out, pulling the sleeves of the bathrobe on and wrapping it around her, paying no heed to the water that slid down her form and left a trail of moisture as she ascended the steps to her bed.

Still the ring sat upon the ledge.

---

Morning was far too quick in its arrival, and she awoke with an awful feeling of dread. She prepared to leave at a crawling pace, each of her movements deliberate and slow, yet still it seemed that she was ready much too soon.

Taking one final glimpse in the mirror, she frowned at her appearance. How ugly she must seem to Legolas. Her frown deepened at the thought, or, rather, that she had even thought it. Turning her back on the mirror, she went down the steps to retrieve Charlotte but stopped short at the sight of the bathtub. More specifically, the wedding ring that glinted at her from the ledge.

Alaqua knew what she should do. She should pick the ring up, slide it onto her finger, and acknowledge her marriage to Hoenir. But often times people do that which they should not, and Alaqua was no different. Thus, she wrapped Charlotte in her blanket and began to the walk to Kareen's before she could contemplate her actions further, fingers bare.

Despite her desire to stall, Alaqua was quick to leave Kareen's home. The woman's talkative nature was quite the opposite of Alaqua's, and she could only take so much.

The journey there gave her the time to become thoroughly nervous, and she was considering going back home when she viewed the forest. She rolled her eyes upward in a silent prayer and forced herself forward.

The twisted bun she had forced her hair into was unraveled by the harsh gusts of wind that buffeted against her, and wisps of hair struck her face, stinging. She quickened her pace, eager for the shelter of the trees.

Legolas was not there when she arrived. Her anxiety faded at his absence, but she felt her heart drop into her stomach in disappointment. When she had first met Legolas she had been immature, rude, and selfish, and while he had not seemed offended by it, the memories of her behavior still caused her to cringe in embarrassment. Their last conversation was never far from her mind; yes, she had lost her Father, but her insensitivity had pained him, she had seen the evidence on his face. Alaqua had hoped that by speaking with him once more she would be able to prove to Legolas that she was no longer that callous girl. A week ago she had been given that opportunity, and was quick to reject it. Now it seemed that she was unlikely to have the chance again; and if her heart insisted that those were not her only reasons to desire to see Legolas again, it was ignored.

She turned to leave, resigned, and took a step back with a sharp inhalation of air, bringing her hand to cover her racing heart.

"Legolas!" She cried, her voice shrill, "you startled me!"

He had taken a concerned step forward at her gasp, but now his eyes seemed to glitter with amusement.

"I am sorry, Alaqua, it was not my intention," He gave her a small grin, "I did not want to interrupt you. You seemed deep in thought."

Her hands were shaking now as the adrenaline rushed through her veins, her body assuming she was in danger because of her fright, and she clenched them behind her back. There were many things that were in danger because of Legolas, but her physical health was not one of them. Her state of mind, perhaps.

"Yes," her uneasiness had returned full force, and it made it difficult for her to formulate a response, "that is why I came here; to think."

Legolas nodded but did not speak. He stood there, clad in green and brown, the streaks of light that had fought their way through leaves playing upon his features in such a way that made him look as if he was glowing. His very stance conveyed his silent strength; the rigid line of his back, the tenseness in his shoulders, his eyes bright and alert.

Then she smiled at him, just a shy raise of the corners of her mouth, and she watched as the stress drained from his body. His eyes softened and his posture relaxed, and she considered that perhaps he was nervous also.

The thought encouraged her, and she took a hesitant step forward, searching for words. But then Legolas imitated her, and all formations of a sentence were lost. The movement was cautious, as if she was an injured animal and if he made a sudden motion she would be frightened away. She felt a tinge of irritation that he thought her so fragile and, without much thought, lifted her leg to close the distance between them, and stumbled over her own foot. Alaqua's hands shot out before her to break her fall as Legolas lurched forward to assist her and, in a prime showing of the only sort of luck she had, the bad sort, the palm of her hand slammed against the smooth, straight bridge of Legolas' nose.

He jerked back with a smothered grunt as he brought his fingertips to run along the line of his nose as if feeling for damage. By now she had well enough recovered from her fall for her eyes to widen in mortification and shock, and she moved closer as she began to ramble.

"I am so, very sorry, Legolas! I am so clumsy…" He remained mute, but shook his head, and she trailed off, biting her lip, grasping for words to convey her remorse.

"It was not my intention to--"

Her mind offered nothing else for to say, so instead she reached out and, with a gentleness one can only acquire from motherhood, pulled his hands away from his face.

"Let me see," she whispered, her face inches from his as she inspected his nose. Already it was beginning to swell, but not as much as she would have expected, given the force of contact. _Elves, _she thought, and gave an inner eye roll. On impulse she lifted her hand to brush against the raised skin, intending to discover if it caused him any pain, but she lost her purpose the instant she touched the soft flesh. As if mesmerized, her fingertips did not stop at his nose, but rather grazed along his cheek, her eyes following the advance of her fingers, and she distantly wondered how odd it was for a male to have such silken skin. Her fingers continued on their sojourn up the steady line of his jaw, and were just beginning to trace the edge of his tipped ear when a calloused hand caught hers and brought it down to rest by her side, still enfolded in his.

Hazel eyes snapped up to his, now darkened to an intense, stormy blue that both locked her in his gaze and shocked her out of her hazy state Alaqua's mind raced for any excuse, any explanation for her bold and, frankly, odd behavior, but there was nothing.

A feeble, "I am sorry," was all she could give.

"It is alright," he responded, and she was surprised by the warmth in his voice, "It does not hurt any longer."

She brought questioning eyes to his, bemused by his response, and the look in his eye seemed to convey some significance, some meaning that she could not quite grasp…And then she glanced down at their two hands entwined, noticing for the first time that his grip on her hand was quite firm, as was hers on his. She squeezed her eyes shut against the cold feeling of dismay that washed over her. Would she never cease to act so foolishly? Would she ever, just for a moment, stop to ponder the weight of her actions?

"Legolas," she began as she disentangled her hand from his, hoping to distract him with her words, "I have wanted to tell you, ever since you left, how very thankful I was for all that you did for me. I must apologize, for I treated you poorly; I was rude and ungrateful, and did not quite realize until after your departure just how much I need you-"

She had been speeding along her speech, uncomfortable and desperate to end this conversation, only to make an already awkward situation increasingly so, and her mouth froze the instant the words fell into the charged air between them.

There was a pause in which Legolas tried to catch her eyes just as Alaqua determined to avoid his.

"There is no reason for you to-" he started, but she would not listen.

"Legolas."

His name was her plea for him to just allow her this. Alaqua could feel his eyes studying her as the oppressive silence of the forest continued, broken only by the occasional chirpings of birds.

"I forgive you."

She gave him a tentative smile, but knew that she must leave. She could not imagine being able to withstand the tense atmosphere much longer. She opened her mouth to tell him that she could not stay any longer, but he seemed to know before she could speak.

"I will you see you next week?" He questioned, his hope lending an endearing light to his eyes.

Alaqua fingered the empty space where her wedding ring was supposed to rest. She had spent mere hours in the presence of Legolas and was already crossing the lines of propriety. But, oh, how she cherished the feelings he woke within her, that made her soar even as they damned her for wanting something she could never retain.

She told herself that she was a terrible person as she nodded her assent, but could not find it within herself to feel any compunction.

_This chapter was absolute torture to write, if you couldn't tell by that incredibly corny and cliché tripping scene. I tried to rewrite it multiple times and just ended up staring at the computer screen. I swear, never again am I writing two such reticent main characters._

_Freedom of Heart is almost done! Only four or five more chapters. _

_On another note, I posted a LiveJournal for you to read about the progress of each chapter, and basically anything else I decide to put on there. The link is my homepage. Feel free to friend me. Actually, please do. _

_Review, please._


	15. Chapter 15

As she passed over the green fields of her journey home she walked with a lightness of step that had long escaped her since her childhood. Alaqua had not realized just how much her behavior in the past had weighed on her until then. If the people of Laketown had seen her, a usually grieved and reticent young woman, with her mouth stretched into a wide smile, she would have been unrecognizable.

Yet it seemed the nearer she came to town, the faster she spiraled down into reality until, at last, she entered her home to see her ring waiting. Her smile vanished and the warm butterflies of contentment that had been flitting in her stomach shriveled and died with the iciness of reason.

A married woman should not be off gallivanting with an elf. She could only imagine the terrible suffering Hoenir would experience of he ever knew of it. Betrayal. Her mind shied from the word, insisted that she had stepped but a little over the bounds of propriety, shoving away the memory of Legolas' skin beneath her fingertips. However, another part of her, the part she often wished would just stay quiet, maintained that the mere act of meeting a male, elvish or otherwise, alone in a forest was enough to condemn her.

And thus, the time after her meeting with Legolas altered continually between a lightness of heart and a state of guilt. The ring remained untouched for a few days, an illogical fear festered within her mind and came upon her with a striking force each time she reached for it. It was almost as if she did not touch it, then she could not put it on, and as long as her fingers remained bare, then she was not a wife, had no husband, and her actions would hurt no one.

After a few days she forced herself to move the tub, on which the ring rested, back to where it belonged. In an attempt to soothe the constant guilt that nagged at her, she hid the ring away, in the top drawer of her bureau, beneath her clothes, as if her problems would vanish as well.

Now, as she sat before a cranky Charlotte, it seemed all her frustrations were piling upon her, and she was trembling under their weight, desperate for respite. The simple act of giving her daughter dinner was spoiled, as Charlotte pressed her lips together in a firm line, despite Alaqua's coaxing to open her mouth. She zig-zagged the spoon towards her mouth, emitting ridiculous noises that she had stopped feeling self conscious about months ago, and gave a sigh of relief as Charlotte, with a grudging expression, deigned to eat her food.

Several more scoops and Charlotte had made it clear that she was no longer hungry. Her eyes began to droop, and as Alaqua lifted her out of the chair for a nap, she observed that Charlotte could possibly be one of the sleepiest children in all of Middle-earth.

Looking down at the brown tuft of hair on her head that had yet to grow out, Alaqua was amazed that time had gone by so quickly. Already Charlotte was beginning to walk, though only while holding Alaqua's hand. The swift passage of years and weeks and days was something one did not notice until too late. She could only hope that her time with her daughter would be longer than the time she had had with her own mother.

Pressing a kiss to the sleeping girl's head, she settled her in the cradle and sat in the nearby chair that she had set there for the exact purpose of watching her daughter. It was difficult to feel troubled when her child, the main source of all her happiness, lay near her.

It was impossible to escape from her own worrying mind for long, though. Tomorrow was the day she was to meet Legolas, and the more she attempted to ignore it, to push it to the back of her mind, the more she thought of it. After minutes of fretting over what to do, she decided to go to bed. As much as she liked to tell herself that she would not return, she knew that her strength of will simply was not strong enough. In order to resist something it was necessary to want to resist it, and, currently, Alaqua's emotions were such a confused mess that she could not tell what she wanted. All she could do now was settle in for a fitful night of sleep.

-

Alaqua arrived in the forest the next day with her hair a mess and dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Legolas had arrived earlier than she, as usual, and upon seeing her haggard appearance he frowned in concern.

"Are you well?"

Was she well? Guilt was a heavy blanket upon her, weighing her down. Her mind felt as if it was going to explode from over-analyzing each thing that had happened to her. Her dress had caught on the door on her way out; had it been a sign? An indication that she shouldn't be going?

"I am. And how are you?"

"Very well."

The silence was awkward and Alaqua fumbled for something to say, but before she could Legolas spoke.

"I would like to show you something, if you would allow me." His body was a step away from hers. She imagined she could feel the warmth radiating from him as he stood with an air of calm; only his beseeching eyes giving him away.

"I-" she hesitated for a moment before giving in to her curiosity, "alright."

He gave a pleased smile, blue eyes glittering.

"Come this way."

He placed a guiding hand on her back and led her; she had no knowledge of the direction they went, as his touch was wreaking havoc on her senses, and Alaqua knew that if she attempted to leave on her own she would find herself hopelessly lost. All sense of time vanished as her every thought focused in on the heat of his hand against her, on the light brush of his fingers as they sent chills down her spine. She found herself praying that for once his keen observance would fail, that he wouldn't notice the flush in her cheeks, wouldn't notice that when she sometimes stumbled into him she would linger longer than necessary.

"Here it is," he announced, his melodic voice enriched by the undertone of his contentment. He removed his hand from her to gesture before him.

It was a large tree, so wide that if she attempted to wrap her arms around it she was sure she would not be able to encircle even half of it; the other trees of the forest seemed small in comparison. It was tall as well, she realized as she craned her head back and was still unable to see the top that protruded above the other trees. Its branches were innumerable, their lengths reaching out as if frozen mid-stretch. It towered over her, and she had to admit that it was impressive, yet she was a bit disappointed.

"This is what you wanted to show me?" As hard as she tried, she couldn't complete disguise her dismay, "A...tree."

She continued to watch the tree, as if waiting for something spectacular to occur, when she heard Legolas chuckle from beside her. Alaqua whipped her head to the side to see Legolas' eyes on her, his face shining with amusement, a large smile on his face. She never thought she would consider laughter beautiful, but Legolas' was undeniably so.

"It is not the tree that I wished to show you," he explained, grin still present, "but what is at the top of the tree."

She gaped at him for a long moment, until his words registered with a shock.

"_What?_ Legolas," she spluttered, eyes wide at the thought of scaling the monstrous height, "there is no possible way-"

"But there is," he interrupted, gazing deeply into her eyes, "I have done this many times, Alaqua."

"By yourself, not with a clumsy woman! I shall fall to my death!" She cried, make wild gestures with her hands.

Legolas grasped her hands in his to cease their movement, holding them in his firm grip, rubbing soothing circles into her palms.

"I swear to you, no harm will befall you. But you must trust me."

He spoke the words with such confidence, and the utter sincerity in his eyes left her utterly incapable of believing anything otherwise. It was as if she was in a trance, staring into the cobalt eyes that had haunted her dreams.

"Very well," she found her lips saying, allowing herself to be led to the tree.

Legolas pointed out the notches and grooves she was to stick her feet in and she obeyed without thinking, as if her conscious mind was distant and she was watching another person attempt to climb this tree. Alaqua clutched at the bark of the tree as if to let go would be the end of her life, and soon she had run out of places to step.

"Now, look up. You must grab on to that branch."

Alaqua inched her chin up, frightened to make any sudden movements lest she lose her balance, to see a thick branch little over an arm's length away.

"Alright," she agreed, trying to ignore the tremor in her voice. She ordered her hand to release the tree but her fingers wouldn't budge, frozen in place by fear.

"Legolas?" She questioned meekly.

"Yes?" He answered, his voice the exact opposite of hers, strong and deep.

"I- I do not think that I can."

There was a pause, and Alaqua was left flattened against the tree, wondering what he was doing. Then she felt firm hands grip her waist and couldn't help her sharp inhalation.

"I shall lift you, then." His voice brooked no argument, and she was elevated in the air as if she weighed nothing more than a feather.

Her shaking hands grabbed the branch and, using all the upper body strength she possessed, she managed to pull herself up to lay face down upon it, wrapping her arms around the branch and holding on for dear life. Legolas ascended the tree with fluid movements and sat beside her, chuckling.

"You are doing well." He said with amusement. She could practically hear the smile on his face.

"You lie. I look like a fool." She snapped self-deprecatingly.

Legolas' laughter only increased, and she could not stop the edges of her lips from turning up, until she, too, was shaking with uncontrollable laughter.

"We must continue," Legolas insisted, mirth still pulling his mouth into a grin.

The rest of their climb upward was slow going, mostly because Legolas had to assist her nearly every step of the way. Her dress snagged on the branches, and she lost her balance often. Finally, however, with tree sap in her hair and multiple scratches, she reached the top. Grinning with triumph, she made the mistake of glancing down, and had a sudden vision of her plummeting downward. Groaning, she turned away and clutched at a branch, paranoia making it seem as if she could feel the tree swaying beneath her.

"Come, Alaqua. Look!"

Had he sounded any less enthusiastic she would have refused to move. As it was, she summoned her strength of will and rotated inch by inch to see him waiting for her, arms stretched out to help her. She gladly accepted his assistance, and he maneuvered her in front of him, where a break in the canopy of thick leaves framed the setting of the sun.

"Oh," she gasped.

It was beautiful. The sky was a hazy mixture of various shades of pink, purple, and orange. The sun was a shock of reddish gold against the horizon line of trees, setting each leaf alight in color. The clouds arranged themselves around the sun so that individual streaks of sunlight shone down on the land below.

"I come here often when I desire time alone," Legolas spoke into her ear, bringing her back to the present. His chest was a light pressure against her back, and his lips brushed against the shell of her ear as he spoke. Her heart paused in her chest before starting up again at a rapid pace.

"It is stunning." She answered, breathless.

"Yes," he whispered, and with a slow hesitance, insinuated his arm around her waist, "it is."

_And that's it for this chapter! Let me know if you see any mistakes, spelling errors, whatever. _

_Review, please!_


	16. Chapter 16

She should have pulled away, she knew. Yet instead her body took on a will of its own and she leaned back against him, bringing her arm up to entangle her fingers with his. Legolas rested his chin on her head, and together they cherished the beauty of the setting sun.

Closing her eyes, she wished she could stay like this, wrapped in his warm embrace, forever. But she could not escape from reality for long. She had a daughter awaiting her, she had to return home.

As if sensing her decision, Legolas pulled back, though keeping her hand in his.

"You must return."

It was more of an acknowledgment than a question, but Alaqua nodded, regardless.

Going down was even more difficult than climbing up, and by the time they reached the ground the forest was nearly the pitch black of night.

"I will escort you to your home," Legolas stated in a firm voice.

Alaqua opened her mouth to resist, but he shook his head.

"I cannot allow you to return by yourself at this late hour. The forest is dangerous at night." He continued persistently, and if she were able to see him through the darkness she was certain that his eyes would be shadowed with worry.

She had no desire to walk home by herself, it was true. She had a penchant of letting her imagination get away with her, and the many sounds of night time creatures would have her terrified within seconds.

But if Legolas saw that she no longer lived in the same house, would he suspect that she was married? Would there still be people, wandering about the town? Would they say something to her? To Legolas? To Hoenir?

She worried her lip between her teeth, unsure. But the immediate fear of being alone in the darkness outweighed the possibility of Legolas discovering her secret.

"Very well," Alaqua sighed.

She would just have to make certain that Legolas did not cross the border of Laketown.

They walked in a comfortable silence, both basking in the solace being together. While walking through the wood, Alaqua was apt to tripping over stray twigs and branches, and thus Legolas offered her his arm, which she took, relishing the opportunity to be close to him. When they had cleared the forest, and the only thing she could possibly trip over was grass, she held on to him still. Judging by the way he brought his arm, and thus, her, closer to his side, and placed his hand on top of hers, she did not think he minded.

Soon, however, they had reached the edge of Laketown, and with great reluctance she pulled away, removing the warmth of his touch. She shivered against the cold air, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Farewell, Legolas," She said, glad that her voice came out strong rather than uncertain, "I shall see you next week."

Alaqua pivoted, preparing herself to return to reality, despite the yearning in her soul to stay with Legolas and live out this wonderful fantasy.

"Alaqua," Legolas called, his voice soft, but it commanded her attention like no one else's. She turned.

With silent, deliberate steps he edged closer to her, building an excited anticipation in her abdomen. Closer and closer he came until he was a breath's width away. He brought his hand up, cradling her cheek in his palm, and she tilted into him, unable to deny the touch that had lurked in her dreams and thoughts for years. He leaned forward, and she dropped her gaze to his full lips, wondering for a brief moment how they would feel, fervent and insistent upon hers, before catching herself.

She could not allow this to continue.

Alaqua grasped the hand that rested upon her face, twisted her head, and pressed a kiss to his palm. Then, with a strength of will she was unaware she possessed, she dropped his hand and stepped back.

"Good night, Legolas."

-

Alaqua went through the familiar process of putting Charlotte to bed unconsciously, as if sleep walking, her mind replaying over and over all that had occurred with Legolas. Repeatedly she berated herself, but knowing that she should have done it did not keep her stomach from fluttering when she thought of his touch, or keep her mind from wondering what would have happened had she kissed him.

Thankfully, Charlotte fell asleep without resistance, and Alaqua was able to relax. Reclined back on her bed, she imagined a world in which she had accepted Legolas when she had a chance. A world in which she was unmarried; a world in which she was not mortal, but elven, and worthy of Legolas. She clutched her pillow to her chest and in her mind feigned the image of Legolas next to her, holding her tightly against him with the strength of his arms. She closed her eyes and wished that she could tell Legolas that she loved him.

Because she did love him. And it was useless to deny it any longer. It would bring her no happiness to hide from the truth; whether she admitted it or not, she loved him just the same. And, no matter what she imagined and wished, she would never be able to be with him.

Suddenly, filled with an irrational anger, Alaqua flung herself from the bed and rushed to her bureau, throwing open the drawer in which her ring was hidden, digging with a desperate determination until her fingers brushed the coolness of metal.

Grabbing it, she hurled it against the wall with all her might.

"_Damn you!_" She cried, her voice hoarse as tears rolled down her cheeks and she hunched over, dropping to the floor and curling into a fetal position, wrapping her arms around herself as if it could keep her from falling apart.

The words echoed back at her; broken, taunting whispers.

"_Damn you_._"_

-

Days later, a letter from Hoenir arrived. The envelope had smudges of dirt on the edges, and the handwriting upon the front was a messy scrawl of her name. She began to open it; she told herself that it was paranoia, that there was no possible way he could know about Legolas, but she was unable to contain the feeling of dread that washed over her as she unfolded the paper.

_My dearest Alaqua,_

_I apologize for not having written before now. I work nearly all hours of the day and have not the amount of time that I wish to write. I hope that Charlotte is faring well. These days are short, and pass quickly as I am kept busy; yet the long, sleepless nights give one an infinite time to miss those that one loves most. I often surprise myself by wishing to hear her cry, for it would mean that she, and you, is near. I dream of you often, and when I wake to see that you are not laying next to me I am filled with a profound disappointment. I await the day that I shall see you both anxiously. _

_I will soon return, though, forgive me, I do not think it will be in time for Charlotte's birthday._

_Yours,_

_Hoenir_

She stumbled to the nearest chair; overpowering guilt had taken the strength from her limbs and she fell more than sat onto the chair. It seemed that since Hoenir had gone away she had been able to convince herself that he simply did not exist, and this letter brought reality crashing down around her. He was as concrete as the letter grasped tightly in her hand.

Alaqua closed her eyes and rubbed them with her free hand, weary with the decision she knew she was to make.

She would not return to the forest.

When she pulled her fingers away they were wet with tears.

-

From that day onward she kept the letter tucked into a small pocket in her dress, hidden beneath the folds of fabric as a constant reminder of her loyalty to Hoenir. She had resisted returning the ring to her finger once more, until the day that she knew Legolas would be awaiting her.

The ring lay on the floor where she had left it, unable to pick it up. Alaqua watched it with dismay as she approached with slow steps. The temptation to leave it there and run to the forest was raging in her, but her feet remained in place. She bent over and picked it up; and she could feel her chance of true happiness falling away as she slid it into place.

_

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_

This was originally only the first half for chapter 16; however, it's been a while since I last updated so I figured I could at least give you this while I finish up the second half.

_Thank you to everyone who has reviewed._


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